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LABOR-SAVING LOOMS. 



(THIRD EDITION.) 
/ 

A Bi^IEr TREATISE ON 



©LAIN Leaving 

AND THE 

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN 
THAT LINE WITH SPECIAL 
REEERENCE TO THE . . . 

floHTHROP lioops 

MANUEACTURED BY 

DRAPER GOnPANY, 

HOPEDAIvE, MASS., 

U. S. A. 

I 907 



iu6RARY»f congress; 
Two Copies Receivefl 

NOV 25 \90? 

I CLASS ^-^XXcNo, 
COPY B 



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COPYRIGHT 1907, 

ey DRAPER COMPANY. 



WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY 

GEORGE OTIS DRAPER, 

SECRETARY OF DRAPER COMPANY. 



1 



^1H 



PRINTED BY 

MiLFORD Journal Co., Milford, Mass. 



PRBFACE. 

In view of the time taken in preparation and tlie necessary 
lapse between editions, it is impossible for a catalogue of this 
nature to always keep pace with the improvements which we 
introduce. While this is the third edition of Labor Saving 
Looms, it is our sixth regular loom catalogue, there having been 
three with other titles, the first of which appeared in April, 1895. 
This early issue was so optimistic in spirit, as to create a certain 
degree of amusement amongst those who failed to foresee the 
possibilities in automatic weaving. Now that its eai'ly asser- 
tions can be viewed in the light of historic fact, they are found 
to be comparatively modest and unassuming. The inventions 
have proved fully as important as anticipated. They have won 
emphatic recognition in foreign countries, and have been largely 
responsible for the upbuilding of the textile industry in one great 
section of our own country. These catalogues have had enor- 
mous editions, considering there are only about one thousand 
weaving mills in this country where the Northrop loom could be 
used. We supply them on request to men occupying responsi- 
ble positions under corporations directly connected with the 
weaving art. 




OUR HOPED ALE PLANT IN 1907 

Scale, 315 feet to the inch. 

About 27 acres of floor space in all. 



Telegrams are telephoned to us from the Milford office of the West- 
ern Union Co. If addressed to Hopedale they will reach us properly. 
Our long distance telephone call is Milford 26-13, 3 and 14. 



OUR LOCATION. 

Our works are situated in the country village of Hopedale, 
Mass., adjoining the large town of Milford, of which we were 
formerly a part. A straight line between Boston and New York 
would bisect us at a point less than thirty miles from the former 
city. While off of the main line of railroad we have branch 
connections to Boston from Milford via South Framingham on 
the Boston & Albany, (N. Y. Centi-al) route and via Franklin 
to Boston on the N. Y., N. H. & H. route. Purchase tick- 
ets at South Station, Boston, for Milford, Mass., 

and take hack from Milford to our office, or walk up Central 
Street, Milford, and take trolley to Hopedale. Parties coming 
from New York can change at South Framingham for Milford, 
if taking the B. & A. route on such trains as stop at South 
Framingham. Connections can be made by other trains and 
other routes through Boston, Providence or Worcester. The 
Grafton & Upton R. R. connects Hopedale with Worcester 
(19 miles), through North Grafton on the B. & A., and while 
it handles our freight at night, it runs a trolley service during 
the day. Connections are also made with trolley for Worcester 
at North Grafton. Providence (26 miles) connections are 
made either through Franklin by the N. Y., N. H. & H. route 
or by Woonsocket via Bellingham Junction on the Boston & 
Pascoag route, or by trolley either to Uxbridge or Woonsocket, 
where connections are made on the Providence and Worcester 
division of the N. Y., N. H. & H, R. R. Trolley cars passing 
our office run directly to South Framingham, (13 miles), in one 
direction and to Uxbridge (6 miles), Upton (5 miles), Grafton 
(10 miles) and North Grafton (13 miles) in the other, and con- 
nect at Milford with trolley lines to Woonsocket (13 miles), 
Franklin (10 miles), Medway (7 miles), Hopkinton (5 miles) 
and points beyond. 




EXHIBIT OF DRAPER COMPANY 
AT PHILADELPHIA, MAY, 1907. 



This was in many respects, the most successful exhibition of 
Cotton Machinery ever presented since it attracted interested 
parties alone. The convention of the American Cotton Manu- 
facturers' Association being held during the week brought practi- 
cal men — possible purchasers, and the local city industries sent 
hundreds of intelligent visitors. The loom shown was weaving 
fine goods, 80s warp and 120s cop filling. So many doubts had 
been expressed as to the feasibility of cops for Northrop looms, 
we thought it well to show that such use was entirely practical. 



CONCERNING DRAPER COMPANY. 

In our complete catalogue, Textile Texts, — which does 
not, however, give a full detail of our loom department — we de- 
tail our own history at some length. For the benefit of those 
mainly interested in our loom and not perhaps acquainted 
with our. former lines, it may be well to say that our business 
started with the invention of the self-acting loom temple by Ira 
Draper, in 1816, although the Drapers had been connected with 
the cloth industry ever since the name of "Draper" itself was 
originally chosen, or given. For over fifty years the business of 
the sons of Ira Draper and their associates, was largely confined 
to loom improvements, such as Patent temples, let-offs, shut- 
tle guides, etc. The important spinning improvements of Car- 
roll, Sawyer, Doyle, Rabbeth, and others, changed the main 
line of effort for a long period, the predecessors of Draper Com- 
pany being primarily responsible for the introduction of high 
speed spinning. 

Although looms are now our main product, we still con- 
tinue the largest manufacturers of many other lines of cotton 
machinery. We sell spindles, spinning rings, separators and 
lever screws for spinning frames. We sell loom temples for all 
makes of loom, a complete line of twisters, warpers, balling ma- 
chines, spoolers and reels. We make chain w^arpers, and intro- 
duce a special dyeing process. We manufacture bobbins for 
Northrop looms, apply filling changers and warp-stop-motions to 
■certain other makes of loom ; also shuttle-guards and thin-place 
preventers. We apply stop-motions to twisters of other makes, 
and sell bobbin-holders and spooler guides for spoolers of others' 
manufacture. We sell a new patent slasher comb, a patent 
dryer feed, oil cans, belt-hole guards, cotton-bale shears, etc. 
Send for our complete catalogue if interested in these lines. 



FORMER LITERATURE ON THE 
NORTHROP LOOM. 

1895. 

Circular — The Advent of the Northrop Loom, issued April, 
1895. 

Essay, The Present Development of the Northrop Loom, 
delivered by George Otis Draper at the meeting of the N. E. 
Cotton Manufacturers' Association at Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 24, 
1895. Printed in Vol. 59 of the Transactions. 

1896. 

Papers on The Northrop Loom, by F. M. Messenger, John 
H. Hines, H. D. Wheat, and discussion by Wm. F. Draper, 
Arthur H. Lowe, George F. Whittam and W. J. Kent, April 
29, 1896, printed in Vol. 60 of the Transactions of the N. E. 
Cotton Manufacturers' Association. 

Chapter in Facts and Figures, on the Northrop Loom, pub- 
lished by George Draper & Sons, in the spring of 1896. 

Pamphlet — The Looms of the Sozith, by F. B. de Berard, 
issued March, 1896, containing detail of savings from use of the 
Northrop Loom in Southern mills. 

Speech of Hon. Wm. C. Lovering, published in the Scien- 
tific American of May 2, 1896, and other papers, containing 
pertinent reference to the loom. 

Speech of Hon. Charles Warren Lippitt, published in the 
Manufacturers' Record of June 19, and papers generally 
throughout the country, giving the history of the Northrop looixk 
development as illustrative of the educational influence of manu- 
facturing. 

Jubilee number of The Dry Goods Economist, contained an 



article on American Textile Machinery in which the Northrop 
Loom was prominently featured. 

1897. 

Pamphlet — Instructions for Running Northrop Looms, issued 
hy George Draper & Sons, January, 1897. 

Pamphlet — Instructions Pour la Conduite de Metiers Northrop,. 
issued by the Draper Company, 1897. 

Circular — Our Comtnon Loom, issued by the Draper Com- 
pany, June, 1897. 

Circular — The Triumph of the Northrop Loom, November,. 
1897. 

Circular referring to the Arkwright Club Report issued De- 
cember 28, 1897- 

1898. 

Circular — Our Connection with the Art of Weaving, issued by 
the Draper Company, April, 1898. 

Circular — Take-up Mechanism, issued by the Draper Com- 
pany, 1898. 

Article — Industrial investigations, by Jacob Schoenhof, in. 
The Forum for October, 1898. Referred to the great savings of 
the "Automatic loom," as affecting differences in cost of pro- 
duction. 

1899. 

Pamphlet — Instructions for Running Northi'op Looms, (Re- 
vised Edition) issued by the Draper Company, January, 1899. 

Pamphlet — Machinery and Labor Displacement, by George 
Gunton, issued by the Gunton Institute, containing pertinent 
reference to the Northrop Loom as a labor-saving invention. 

1900. 

Circular — The Advance of the Northrop Loom, January, 1900. 
Pamphlet — Factory Condi tio?is in the South, January 20,, 



1900, by George Gunton, in Gunton's Lecture Bureau course. 
Paper on Method of Cost Finding, by Wm. G. Nichols, 

delivered at a meeting of the N. E. Cotton Manufacturers' Asso- 
ciation at Boston, April 36, 1900. Printed in Vol. 68 of the 
Transactions. 

Essay on Improvements in American Cotton Machinery, by 
George Otis Draper, delivered at a meeting of the Southern Cot- 
ton Spinners' Association at Charlotte, N. C, May 18, 1900. 
Printed in the Association records and various periodicals. 

1 901. 

Chapter in Textile Texts, published by the Draper Com- 
pany, spring of 1901. 

Various articles in publication. Cotton Chats, started in July, 

1 901, and continued since. 

Circular on Important Discovery, relating to method of spin- 
ning to prevent bunches in cloth, August, 1901. 

1902. 
Circular on The Keene Dj-awing-in Machine, ]a.nmiYy ^ 1902. 
References in Census Bulletin No. 215, June 28, 1902. 

1903. 

Circular on The Northrop Loom, issued by the British 
Northrop Loom Co., January, 1903. 

Essay on Continued Developme7it of the Northrop Loom, de- 
livered by General Draper at a meeting of the N. E. Cotton 
Manufacturers' Association in Boston, April 23, 1903, printed in 
Vol. 74 of the Transactions. 

Various references in a book. The American Cotton Industry^ 
by T. M. Yoimg, published by Charles Scribners' Sons, 1903. 

Chapter on Northrop Loom in Textile Texts, second edition, 
issued December, 1903. 

Essay on The Development of the North^-op Looin, delivered 



13 



before the Providence Society of Mechanical Engineers by 
George Otis Draper, printed in Providence Journal, Dec. 28, 
1903, and other trade Journals. 

1904. 

Circular on List of Northrop Looms Sold, issued January, 
1904. 

Article on Evolution of the Cotton Lndustry, published in 
, Gunton's Magazine for February, 1904. 

Pamphlet — Labor Saving Looms, (First Edition) . 

Circular on Long Bobbin Experiments, issued May, 1904. 

Article on Ls there a limit to rising wages ? published in Gun- 
ton's Magazine for July, 1904. 

Reference in article on The Cotton Lndustjj in the Cosmo- 
politan Magazine for July, 1904. 

Address of President Herbert E. Walmsley to the New Eng- 
land Cotton Manufacturers' Association, published in Vol. 77 
of the Transactions. 

Article on Lhe Nor'throp Loom in England^ by H. P. Greg, 
published in British papers Dec. 31. 

1905. 

Varied press comment on labor conditions as affected by 
automatic weaving. 

References in Cotton Manufactures in Massachusetts and the 
Southern States, published by the Massachusetts Bureau of Sta- 
tistics of Labor, 1905. 

Second Edition of Labor Saving Looms. 

1906. 

Chapter in Reference Library of International Correspond- 
ence School of Scranton, Pa. 

Qvcc\A?lx ox\ Staff ord Company Bonds, issued September, 1906. 



H 



1907. 

Chapter in The Mechanism of Weaving Third Edition, by T. 
W. Fox. 

Chapter on Northrop Looms in Textile Texts, Third Edition, 
issued in April. 

Present Edition of Labor Saving Looms. 



"There has been expended in experiments, in investigation and for 
patents some $300,000. Tlie result is a reduction of one-half in the 
cost of weaving cotton cloth. The cost of vs^eaving constitutes one-half 
the cost of labor required to produce cotton cloth. Consequently the 
■saving secured by the loom is approximately one-quarter of the labor of 
producing the cloth. Experts have estimated that in 1895, $80,000,000 
was paid for labor in the cotton manufacture in the United States. 
Assume that the improved loom had been thoroughly introduced, the 
saving secured thereby would have been approximately $20,000,000. 
"The interest on the national debt of the United States in 1892, the last 
year of Eepublican control, was $22,893,000. The possible saving of 
the new loom, therefore, would be about seven-eighths of this interest." 
— \_Hon. Charles Warren Lippitt, ex-Governor of Bhode Island. 



"Constant progress has been the watchword of the last quarter of a 
century, and will lead in the next, so near at hand. Mr. Draper puts 
the Northrop loom, the latest production of his model shop, into your 
mill today and starts it with amazing success, but while this pattern, 
the product of many years of hard work of the inventor, with the 
added talents of many mechanics, has been in course of construction, a 
new and better way has been devised to accomplish desired results or to 
overcome some slight defect obvious in your lot of' looms. And you are 
told that in the next lot of looms built these defects will be remedied, 
-and too late you regret that you had not waited before giving your 
order. 

The difficulty, however, is inevitable. Evolution is constant in 
everything to which the mind devotes itself earnestly, honestly, and 
persistently — and each lot of looms turned out will naturally be superi- 
or in some respect to that which preceded it." — [Prest. Frederick E. 
Clarke at Montreal meeting of the N. E. Cot. Man. Asso., Oct. 5, 1899. 



"As regards the labor cost of production, we all know that the labor 
cost of weaving is in the neighborhood of one-half the total labor cost in 
the entire process of manufacturing cotton cloth. It is necessary, there- 
fore, and admittedly so, in our efforts which must ever and always be un- 
remitting in legitimately bringing down the cost of manufacture, to pay 
the closest attention to this particular department of cost, and, in this 
connection, it would appear pertinent to inquire whether or not we have 
in New England as a whole, taken sufficient advantage of the warp-stop 
jnotion, and of a certain wonderful, automatic, almost human, labor- 



15 



saving machine, invented and built right in our midst, linown as the 
Northrop loom. I speak plainly. Or have -we permitted our Southern 
friends, as a whole, to get the better of us in adopting this machine more 
readily than we ourselves have done? I fear many of us must admit 
that such is the case. Nothing is more certain than that it will have to 
be reckoned with and of which the least observant among us must be 
convinced. It behooves us, therefore, to see to it that we put our houses 
in order with as little delay as possible, and if there are any of us whose 
financial condition is such that we are unable to install this loom, we 
must either go to the wall or so rearrange our financial affairs so as to 
enable us to equip ourselves equal to the best in every particular. If 
there was ever a time in the history of the cotton trade when alone it was 
'the survival of the fittest,' that time is right now. This phase of our 
inquiry, and the remedy, where remedy is called for and needed, is 
plainly apparent and will admit of no evasion or delay." — [President 
Herbert U. Walmsley at meeting of N. E. Cot. Man. Asso., Sept. 21, 1904. 



"The Northrop loom, by increasing the capacity of the operative 
300 per cent., has brought the manufacture of cotton up to a point that 
is considered practically perfect. In its most highly developed form 
this loom now enables one man to do the work of a thousand men at the 
beginning of the cotton industry, working by hand." — [From article on 
'■'■Evolution of the Cotton Industry," in Guntons Magazine for Feb., 1904. 



"In New England today the price of weaving on the ordinary 
looms, with the last ten per cent, that has just been given, is nineteen 
and eight-tenths cents — say twenty cents — per cut, that is, for fifty 
yards. A new loom has been invented by which the weaver can mind 
about twice as many, and therefore the price per cut is reduced about 

one-half. These are what are called the Draper looms In 

the South they have hardly any other kind of looms ; they have the 

best. I saw one woman minding twenty-four looms The 

price they pay for fifty yards in South Carolina is six and one-quarter 
cents. The operatives of course, even at this rate, are earning more 
than they ever earned before." .... George Gunton. 



"So far as the equipment of the Southern mills in the matter of 
looms is concerned, they are certainly more advanced than any other 
part of the country, Massachusetts not by any means excepted. Nearly 
all the Southern mills are equipped with the Northrop loom, which is 
considered the most improved and supplied with the latest inventions. 
The great advantage, so far as the South is concerned, lies in the fact 
that one operative can attend to from 16 to 20 of these looms, and there- 
fore the Southern mills look upon the Northrop as a means of salvation 
in their present shortage of help." — [Annual Beport Mass. Bureau of 
Statistics of Labor for 1905. 



"With the exception of the Northrop loom, British subjects have 
been the world's benefactors in regard to textile machines." — [Bulletin 
No. 63, Dept. Commerce <& Labor. 



i6 



" . . . the Northrop loom is more aud more being adopted 
for all single shuttle work." 

"A girl brought up in the lonely hill country of Tennessee or Ala- 
bama can run twenty Northrop looms in a very short time, as though she 
had been born and bred in the weaving shed." — \_Beport oj Lancashire 
Private Cotton Investigation Commission. 



"At the time of writing spool-changing devices are less numei-ous 
than shuttle-changers, but they are more extensively used, probably 
because it is less objectionable to change the contents of a shuttle than 
to change a shuttle, for shuttles are specially liable to injury during the 
changing operation ; it is also more difficult to adjust shuttle boxes to 
many shuttles than to one." — [T. W. Fox in The Mechanism of Weaving. 




NORTHROP LOOM AS EXHIBITED 
AT PHILADELPHIA. 



17 





pinncK5aT»^vve8JucKs 



Copyright by E. W. Perry. 

N the beginning Dame Nature set a pattern as a 
_,. weaver, for she wrapped snugly in brown cloth 
the spathes of the palms, and bandaged the 
stalks of the banana with a web, uncounted ages 
before men had wit to interweave stakes and 
bushes and poles to make fence and wall. This 
was long before men or women learned to twine 
twigs, reeds or grasses together to make mat 
or tent, or to weave the fibers from leaf or 
from stalk, or the hair from animal into blanket or sheet. 

^Mother Nature wove other cloth of threads closely laced, 
and hid it in the bark of the tuno tree ; and to this hour her 
children who live the simple life in Central America cut from 
such trees long sheets of their bark ; and women anchor these 
pieces to soak in the warm rivers there. Later those women 
pound that bark long and diligently, ^vith carved hammers of 
stone and with clubs of rosewood or ebony or of other dense 
wood neatly carved. In time the pulp is beaten out, and the 
tough fibers become clean and soft, ready for bleaching on the 
hot sandbar by the river. When whitened enough, the blan- 
kets are adorned by designs done in red or brown, or black 
stains, and then are ready to make bed or hammock. 



i8 



P«)lit)i|iWlllWiaii)}ii>)i)) liiiiiiiiii)ibiWiiiiU)iii;i»wmiii 



No one can truly say 
when or where man first be- 
gan to weave cloth. Nor 
can any tell us surely wheth- 
er this art spread from a 
common center, or was in- 
vented by many who dwelt 
in widely separated parts of the world. Ages would have been 
required to carry news of such invention around the world by 
the slow and infrequent journeyings of barbarous workmen from 
the native home of the invention to the far corners of the earth ; 
but in primitive devices for spinning and for weaving there is, 
in regions separated by wide oceans, a sameness that is held by 
some men of science as proof that the art of making and using 
such devices must have come from a single source. 

One such early device 
is the spindle- whorl that 
was used at least as early as 
the later stone age, say about 
the time w^hen our grand- 
fathers lived in villages 
perched on piles driven into 
Swiss lakes, or in stockaded 
homes on the islands of Britain, and knew weaving and spin- 
ning as common household duties. 

Centuries before the Spanish 
conquistador sailed into the Far West 
in search of the treasures of the Indes, 
Aztec and Maya, and doubtless 
many another mother of old Ameri- 
can families, taught their girls to 
spin threads pulled from the leaves of the maguey, the long and 
silky fibers of the wild pineapple, and the cotton from the trees 





19 



o o o oo o o 




which bore blossom and ripe boll at the same moment through 
all the months. And to do their spinning they used spindles 
and whorls that were almost identical in shape, as they were in 
the manner of their use, with the whorls of that far away stone 
age of Europe, when the lake dwellers of Switzerland twisted 
threads as they watched for the 
coming of the canoes that w^ould 
bring fish for the dinner. 
* And similar whorls, patient- 
ly ground out of stone or mould- 
ed from clay, were used by the 
Muskokis and other Indians of 
our own Southern States for 
spinning the fibers of the wild hemp that grew, much higher 
than a man's head, in the fertile bottom lands and gave tough 
thread from which to weave carpets and blankets many a gen- 
eration ago. But their work was as of yesterday, compared 
with that weaving of which shreds and patches, and perhaps 
older imprints in the earth, have been uncovered in the ancient 
mounds, discovered in long forgotten tombs, and found set out 
in the comparatively recent books of the pictured histoiy of pre- 
Columbian America. For, long before the coming of Christian 
to the New World, fabrics that to the weavers must have seemed 
fine and beautiful, were spun and woven of the wool of the An- 
des, and of other materials, as 
far to the north as California. 
How many ages must have 
passed after the invention of 
the weaver's art before the 
snowy raiment of the vestals 
of the Sun, and the royal robes 
of the Incas, children of the 
glowing God of Day and of 
Life, could be made. 




Before Columbus set foot on this continent he saw the fruit 
of the loom of America; for when his little ship rounded to 
under the lee of the isle of Guanaja in 1502, he found there a 
big canoe loaded with goods of Yucatan. Among these were 
thick jackets of quilted cotton, used as armor to shield from 
thrust of spear, prick of arrow and blow from club, and wooden 
sword edged with jagged bits of volcanic glass. 

That quilted cotton armor was almost identical in appear- 
ance with the jackets worn not long ago — maybe yesterday — by 
Chinese soldiers — which fact suggests that the making of such 
things may have been first taught in America by those mission- 
aries who came from China to teach the lore of the gentle Bud- 
dha, five centuries before Christ came on earth, and nearly a 
thousand years before Columbus first saw the shores of the 
Western continent. 

Before white men ravaged the empire of Peru the wool of 
the vicuna and the cotton gathered by the people of that great 
domain, were distributed among weavers whose occupation had 
come down to them through the centuries, from father to son, 
from mother to daughter. Confined to certain families, this 
work of spinning and of weaving developed great deftness, 
which was bv observation, by precept and by practice developed 
into notable skill in using the simple devices they had with 
which to do their tasks. 

But these people have learned little from their white con- 
querors, in all the four hundred years that have passed since civ- 
ilization fell like a blight on all they held dear. To this day 
descendants of those olden Americans use the same old inven- 
tions, in the ancient way, to make goods of the same patterns 
that were made centuries ago. And to this day the Indian of 
the vast forests of the Amazon, the Carib of the seashore, the 
Waika of the Mosquito Coast, and the remnants of the Maya 
tribes of the mountain valleys spin coarse cords of bark or of 



o o o o 
o o o o o 
o o o o o 



cotton, and of them weave their hammocks, or make blankets 
with looms that are little more than simple frames of poles. 
Sometimes these looms are but two posts planted firmly in the 
blackened earth that is the only floor of the leaf-thatched home 
of the weaver, and haA'ing two poles lashed horizontally across 
these uprights. The warp is wound, one continuous thread, 
around and round, over the upper and under the lower pole 
until the warp is as wide as the fabric is to be. 

Instead of a harness, a thin stick is used to separate the 
threads of the warp, and the thread of the woof or filling is 
thrust across the web b}" a shuttle that is often little more than a 
long, smooth stick, cleft at one end to hold the end of the filling. 

Simpler still seems 
to have been the loom of 
the Aztec and the Maya 
mother who taught her 
daughter to weave. As 
the illustration, copied 
from a picture story of 
the time, shows us, the 
girl was then fourteen years old, and as a reward for well do- 
ing at her task was allowed two full tortillas or cakes of corn. 

The weaving of the Navajo and other Indians of the South- 
west has no doubt been affected somewhat by the influence of 
their Spanish-Mexican neighbors, but it is still remarkable for 
its strange and striking, if not barbaric beauty. Such work 
has been highly prized by generations that are gone, but prob- 
ably never brought so high prices as are paid now by those who 
appreciate art in forms unlike those which are conventionally 
regarded as correct, therefore beautiful. 

All this spinning and weaving can be called purely native 
American. It was at least pre-historic American art. But the 
Pilgrims and others who settled on the Atlantic shore north of 




the Gulf brought the first spinning wheels the New World ever 
saw., and with these came skill to spin fine linen and wool, and 
to weave honest cloth and beautiful napery. In those days 
every farmhouse, and many another home, held its spinning 
wheel, but not every pioneer mother owned her own loom. 
Many a good spinner was content to trust the weaving of her 
woolen yarn, her tow thread, and even her finest flaxen fibers 
to her neighbor who possessed a good loom with which to show 
her proud skill. 

Such pride, and that spirit of eager industry which was born 
of limitless opportunity to do, urged men here to the invention 
and use of better devices for spinning, and better looms. Strange 
and beautifijl fabrics were brought from the very ends of the 
earth, even from India and Cathay ; at least from the land of the 
Turk or other pagan, and more often from the Netherlands and 
from France and England to gladden the heart and nourish the 
vanity of those having pelts, or tobacco, or grain to barter for 
such fineries ; and to stir the envy of those many others who had 
none of those native goods to spare, therefore could not v^^ell 
have the velvets and the laces their hearts desired. 

Naturally it came from such longings that the American 
textile industry has been created and its mills equipped with in- 
genious devices, often originating with American inventors 
whose ideas are copied in every civilized country of the world. 
Some of our looms are weaving silken ribbons so delicate that 
they could go through the eye of a needle, while others weave 
doormats inches thick ; some weave tapes a mere fraction of a 
barleycorn in width, while others make rugs wide enough to 
cover floor of cottage parlor or mansion hall. Some weave 
veilings so light that a breath might blow them away, even 
while other looms are making canvas strong enough to hold 
the hurricane until it tears out the heart of the stout ship. 



23 




The early history of the textile industry thus interestingly 
told has been chosen as a fitting introduction to our own his- 
torical record. Mr. Perr}^ has made his investigations and 
selected his illustrations for this special work. 




The primitive methods of weav- 
ing" are fairly ilhistrated bv the ver- 
tical frame, in which the w^eft is 
introduced by a hand shuttle, as 
clearlv shown. 




The Hindoo weaver uses a similarly primitive principle at 
the present day. Persian and Turkish rugs are woven with up- 
right warps, the weft being inserted in small tufts by hand. 




The next illustration, 
shows a Flemish weav- 
er of the middle ages, 
also manipulating the 
shuttle by hand, and the 
harnesses by foot tread- 
les. There is no record 
to show just when the 
warps "w^ere first led sep- 
arately through heddle 
eyes and reciprocated 
with mechanical devices. 
The next notable 
mechanical change was 
due to the invention of 
the fly shuttle by John 
Kay, in 1733. At this 
time, in weaving broad cloth, it was necessary to have two 
weavers at least, one at each end of the lay to throw the shut- 
tle to the other. By Kay's invention, one of the two men was 
dispensed with, and even on narrow weaving a weaver could 
produce at least twice as much cloth per day. 

By 1750, the fly shuttle was in very general use in England. 
In 1760, the drop-box was invented by Robert Kay, son of John. 
In 1785, Dr. Cartwright took out his celebrated patent on the 
power loom, which had a slow introduction, for as late as 18 13 
there were but 3400 power looms in all Great Britain. The pos- 
sibilities of power weaving, however, were well appreciated, 
and Francis C. Lowell, who saw the loom in England, returned 
to America and successfully produced a practical machine with 
the assistance of Patrick Jackson and Paul Moody. This 
was witnessed in operation during 1S14, and the Waltham Co. 
was incorporated on the strength of its showing. 



26 




LOOM AS USED BEFORE KAY. 



William Gilmour 
brought patterns of the 
crank driven power 
loom to this country, 
and looms were con- 
structed by him and 
operated at Lymans- 
ville in 1817. The 
manufacture of these 
looms was continued 
by David Wilkinson. 
The original patterns 
w^ere surreptitiously 
EARLY FLY SHUTTLE LOOM. sent out of England in 
small pieces, and shipped here by way of France, as "small 
metal ware," requiring much of patience and perseverance to 
reconstruct the parts from the pieces. 




27 



The price of cloth manufactured at Waltham in iSi6 "was 
30 cents a yard, the price of the same cloth being reduced to 
61-2 cents a yard about 1843. The early mills at Lowell were 
organized by those interested in the Waltham Corporation. The 
early interest excited by these Waltham looms, gave rise to the in- 
vention of the first practical self-acting temple by Ira Draper, in 
1816. This invention, when perfected, doubled the capacity of 
the operative by allowing one weaver to tend two looms instead of 
one, on plain goods. Before the self-acting temple, the weaver 
had to intermittently move forward the clamps which kept 
the cloth stretched at the selvage. The temple business thus 
originated has remained with the descendants of Ira Draper 
to this day, our Draper Company furnishing practically all of 
the loom temples used in the United States at the present time. 




The central shop shows w^here temples were regularly man- 
ufactured in Hopedale after acquiring an interest in the recipro- 
cating temple of Elihu and Warren W. Dutcher. The small 
building at the right was the early foundry for the Hopedale 
industries. The pond in front is now covered by Draper Com- 
pany buildings. 



28 



SIDE ILLUSTRATION OF THE ROBERTS LOOM. 

A Typical English Product as Marketed About 1S30. 




iVlthough by 1S30 power looms were widely used, they had 
no filling stop-motion, requiring active oversight of the weaver 
to note when the filling broke or ran out. They had no auto- 
matic let-off motions and the take-ups were not of a positive 
character, the whole machine being therefore ill adapted to pro- 
duce even goods without continual adjustment by the operative 
or overseer. 



29 



Power looms were built at Taunton by William Mason, as 
early as 1S29. None of the other earlier builders have continued 
in the trade. Many mills of the early period built their own 
machinery in small shops connected with the establishments. 
The early progress of the art of weaving is nowhere better illus- 
trated than in the work of Clinton G. Gilroy, published in 1844. 
It is hardly safe to trust the early history there depicted, as 
Gilroy was something of a humorist ; but it is evident from his 
'clear description of machinery then in use, that at this time there 
existed power looms capable of producing all sorts of intricate 
patterns, together with carpet looms, embroidery machines, etc. 

William Crompton, of Taunton, invented a pattern surface 
fancy loom in 1S37. George Crompton made important inven- 
tions in this field and continued development in this line has 
been effected in the Crompton and Knowles works, of Worces- 
ter. 




The Japanese weaver with hand shuttle shows a method 
still in use in spite of modern improvements. 



30 



After the adaptation of the weft fork, automatic let-off mo- 
tions and parallel shuttle-motions, which were all applied before 
i860, the plain loom remained practically stationary and unim- 
proved up to the date of the Northrop inventions. Automatic 
change of filling was no new idea in the art, an attempt having 
been made by John Patterson Reid and Thomas Johnson, as 
early as 1834, with continuous other attempted solutions of the 
problem by various foreign and domestic inventors during the 
interim. The possibilities of automatic weaving, as now thor- 
oughly established, are well illustrated by comparison with the 
product per operative at intermediate stages in the history of the 
entire art. It is possible that the crudest looms of pre-historic 
time required one minute to lay each pick, considering that no 
harnesses were used to separate the warp sheds. We have 
reason to suppose that the hand loom before Kay produced at 
the rate of about 20 picks per minute, doubling to 40 picks after 
the introduction of the fly shuttle. With improved construction 
and possibly greater skill, the product of hand looms has been 
increased until a speed of 60 picks per minute has been averaged 




31 



in recent times. The early power looms probably started about 
lOO picks per minute, gradually increasing till by 1850, in 
America, print looms were running at a speed of 150 picks per 
minute, with operatives tending four looms. Possibly they ran 
even faster in England, but the operatives there only tended 
two looms. Today, English operatives run four looms each, at 
speeds of 320 picks per minute, and American weavers from 6 
to 10 on plain goods, at speeds for narrow looms of from 190 to 
^00 picks. With the Northrop looms, it is easily possible for a 
weaver to run 24 looms on similar goods, showing that 
the improvements represented in the Northrop loom give much 
more advantage, as measured by product per opei'ative, than all 
the other loom inventions of history put together. 

There are four primary inventions, which in turn have 
doubled, or more than doubled, the product per weaver — the 
fly shuttle, the self-acting temple, the weft fork and the filling- 
changer. There are several claimants for the weft fork, but 
t^vo of the four are clearly American in origin. 



"The Northrop-Di-aper loom has had many tests and made many 
records. We will now chronicle one that, in romance, surpasses the 
loom of this make at Tucapau mills, Wellford, «. C, which ran nearly 
24 hours without stopping a second : 

— Young couple engaged — against wishes father — hurried consulta- 
tion — wedding party gathered in the dynamo-room — returned — the bride 
finding all her Northrop looms running along as merrily as ever." 
— [Textile Excelsior. 



"A few nights ago the night watchman of the mill told of seeing 
strange sights and hearing queer noises during the small hours of the 
morning. He is a sober man of middle age and in perfect health, so it 
was hard to find reason for not believing his story. 

He says that shortly after midnight he heard a noise in a remote 
corner of the mill like the running of weaving looms. He went there 
and found six looms ranning at full speed without any apparent motive 
power and cloth was being woven without any guidance." — [From dis- 
patch to the New York World, Nov. 17, 1900. 



32 




/ ■• / ■ i I ^ 

END VIEW OF A MODEL LOOM. 

Not now built. This was the loom sent out on the Qiieen 
Cit}' , Tucapau, and other early orders. We built this model with 
right and left hoppers, not having then adopted our one-hand 
loom construction. 

Steel Hai'ness, Saw-tooth Gearing, Shepard Let-off, Mason 
Take-up, Movable Bobbin-chute and other details as originally 
presented. 



33 



HISTORY OF THE NORTHROP LOOM. 

In order to avoid the usually inevitable misstatements made 
years afterward concerning the early conception and introduc- 
tion of important inventions, we will briefly record the pertinent 
facts concerning the early history of the Northrop loom. 
► On July 26, 1888, Mr. William F. Draper, Jr., then 
member of our firm of George Draper & Sons, heard of a loom 
invention in Providence, and saw the inventors and their device, 
which was an automatic shuttle-changer. He reported at home 
that the general idea was interesting, but the device not 
practical, in his opinion. We then had an exhaustive in- 
vestigation of the patent situation made through competent 
counsel. The report seemed to show that there was little 
novelty in this special application of the idea, but the firm had 
become sufficiently interested to risk a further trial of the general 
principle, and on December loth voted a sum of $10,000 for 
experiments, and started an inventor, Mr. Alonzo E. Rhoades, 
on the task of devising a practical shuttle-changing loom. That 
Mr. Rhoades lost no time is proved by the fact that he had an 
operative loom ready to be started, with warp and filling, by 
February 28th of 1889. This loom, after being reconstructed 
with new patterns din-ing the next few months, though not 
changed in principle, ran with good success. Some twelve 
years later, for purposes of patent litigation, it was started up 
and run for days under the eye of a patent expert, accomplish- 
ing its purpose so well as to draw forth his unqualified ap- 
proval. 

Leaving the Rhoades loom at this stage, it is necessary to 
retrace our history to the year 1857, when Mr. James H. North- 
rop was born in Keighley, England, on May 8th of that year. 



34 



After becoming an expert mechanic and factory foreman in his 
own country, Mr. Northrop came to this side in May, 1881, 
soon drifting to Hopedale, where he became employed as an 
expert on metal patterns. His invention of the Northrop Spooler 
Guide brought him to the notice of his employers, and he was 
selected by them to work out the idea of an automatic knot-tyer 
for spoolers. Although showing great ingenuity, the devices as 
devised did not appear commercially practical, and the inventor 
became sufficiently discouraged to abandon the shop and devote 
his time to farming. Not finding this occupation congenial, he 
applied for employment some years later, in the fall of 1888, but 
the only opening then present was a job as mechanic at $2 per 
day. In February, Northrop, who had noted the progress of the 
Rhoades idea, spoke to Mr. George Otis Draper, who had just 
entered the firm, stating that if given a chance he could put a 
shuttle changer on a loom in one week's time, that could be 
made in quantities for a cost of $1 each. On March 5th, 
Mr. Draper di'ove to his farm and saw a rough wooden 
model of his idea, which was set up in his hen house. At 
Mr. Draper's recommendation, the firm ordered another loom 
for experiments, and after its arrival Mr. Northrop was started 
on April 8th to work out his scheme. By May 20th he had 
concluded that his first idea was not practical, and having mean- 
while thought out a new plan, he asked for an extension of time 
until the fourth of July in which to perfect it. On July 5th, the 
completed loom was running at speed, and as it seemed to in- 
volve more advantages than the Rhoades pattern, the weaver was 
taken off of the Rhoades loom and transferred to the Northi-op. 
On October 24th a loom with new construction, from revised 
patterns, was running at the Seaconnet Mill in Fall River, and 
more looms of the same kind were started up there at intervals. 
Mr. Noi-throp had, however, meanwhile thought out his idea of 
changing filling in the shuttle, some of the parts of such a mech- 



35 



anism taking shape as early as October. The development at 
our works continued so favorably that by April of 1890 several 
filling-changing looms wei^e started in the same Seaconnet Mill, 
the shuttle-changing looms having been changed back to com- 
mon looms, in view of the additional advantages of the filling- 
changing pattern. 

Anticipating the great importance of the new inventions 
and the inevitable attempt at competition by shuttle-changing 
"devices, we made an early and exhaustive investigation, both in 
this country and in Europe, to determine just what had been ac- 
complished by all the inventors of record who had formerly tried 
to solve the problem of automatic weaving. It was found that 
many of the patents merely illustrated ideas worked out on 
paper, but never applied to looms, for they were absolutely 
inoperative as shown. Of the actual attempts, all had been 
complete failures. One of the inventors prominently connected 
with the art died in a poorhouse, and others lost material funds. 
In a recent law-suit, although it was asserted by our opponents 
that some of these looms were practical, they did not pre- 
sent one particle of verbal, written, or printed 
evidence to show that any of these experimental 
looms had ever been witnessed in operation. 

Our early experiments showed us clearly that it would not 
be generally feasible to apply our attachments to looms as tlien 
constructed, since the ordinary plain looms were not uniform in 
size, shape, or fitting. We therefore began the design of a com- 
plete new loom and prepared for its manufacture. Several years 
of delay now intervened by reason of the necessity for perfecting 
the inventions and arranging for detail of manufacture, also 
since it was found advisable to incorporate a warp stop-motion 
with the filling-changer. Although patents had disclosed warp 
stop-motion mechanism for over 100 years, there were no 
known practical operating devices which could be adopted, so 



36 



our inventors had to start afresh and design the necessary mech- 
anism. We were not inclined to put the labor and expense of 
testing the early mechanisms on the cotton mills themselves, so 
equippeil a complete weave room of So looms and ran it continu- 
ously for many montlis. In June. 180)4, we began the taking of 
orders, and early in '95 complete Northrop looms were started 
in our customers' mills. During the summer of '95, looms were 
exhibitetl in London by General Draper, and in October, "9^, 
looms were also exhibited at the Atlanta Exposition. Orders 
for several thousand looms had been taken, based entirely on the 
showing of our own weave rooni, and during this year looms were 
started by the Qiieen City Cotton Mill, the Pacific, the Merrimac, 
the Grosvenor Dale, the Social Company, the Tucapau, the 
Lawrence Company, the Cocheco Company, Pelzer Mfg. Co., 

etc. It is interesting to note that every oiie of these early 
mills has since given ns large repeat orders. The 

country was slo\vly recovering from the panic of "93, and mills 
were hartUv in a condition to spend large outlay for new ma- 
chiner}', but the demands of the trade forced us into great en- 
largement of plant and facilities. 

During 1S96, an important test of our looms was uTade in 
Russia, Avhere a complete set ^vas run for many months with 
perfect satisfaction, so far as the mechanical performance of the 
looms themselves was concerned. A curious appreciation of 
the ingenuity of our mechanism was shown b\- the fact that the 
help could not understand how mere mechanism could pi'oduce 
such marvelous results, and they would not touch the machines 
until a priest had looked them over and sprinklctl holy water 
upon them. During this year, an important and expensive in- 
vestigation of our patents was made by large prospective cus- 
tomers, who later gave us large orders, being thoroughly satis- 
fied that we were strongly protected by our patent claims. In 
1S97, important licenses were given several foreign manufac- 



37 



turcrs. During' the ycai", the Amoskc.ig Company made a con- 
tract with us for warp stop-motions for some 1^,000 looms. In 
1898, u new plant was hiiilt at V'alleylield, Canada, to supply 
Northrop looms to Canadian ciislomiTs. 

The wide interest caused by the intr(jduction of our epoch- 
makiuL;' invention naturally started others to considering the ]X)H- 
sil)iniy of comjK'tition. 'i'he lliml loom had hccn lnoughton 
from California, the i*2mery vertical loom had been advertised to 
*the trade, and the Crom])ton Loom Works had brought out a 
shnttle-changei". In iSt^y, shnttlc-changing looms were sent out 
from Readville. The Bryan inventions were being exploited in the 
South, and the Perham loom was being shown at Lowell. The 
electrical filling-changing feeler of Malcolm G. Chase was also 
exciting more or less interest. The Ilmil loom had an erratic 
and unim]:)ortant career. The Eniery veitical l(;(jm hardly mer- 
ited the enthusiasm of its j^romoters. The Crompton loom was 
withdrawn from themarkcl. The l>r\an loom never reached a 
market, the Pei'ham loom (jiiickly demised, although a large 
plant was bought and etpiipped to meet the expected demand. 
The Chase invention was accpiired by ourselves, leaving the Har- 
riman loom as the only survivor of this special aggregation at the 
present day. 

In 1900, we were visited by a delegation of [;ipaMesc manii- 
factiu'ers, who left large orders with us. I)uring this year, we 
started suit against the American Loom Comp;uiy, then intro- 
ducing the Ilarriman inventions. Our looms were shown at the 
Paris P2xposition by several of our I'^jreign licensees. We had 
been making large additions to our plant t(j take care of the in- 
creased demand ; in fact, we had entirely changed our manufac- 
turing facilities. 15y 1901 we were employing more hand.s than 
had ever worked in an American Cotton Machinery shop and 
were occupying more floor space than any other similar concern. 
We were then shipping looms at the rate of 2000 per mr^ntli. 



38 



During 1901, we acquired important ownership in a large 
range of patents then owned by Messrs. Baker and Kip and 
Coldwell and Gildard, giving us the exchisive rights for use of 
all the Baker and Kip patents, except those particularly relating 
to warp stop-motions, and giving vis exclusive rights for use of 
the Coldwell and Gildard inventions on mechanical warp stop- 
motions. We were at this time bringing out our large hopper, 
which has since proved to be a notable improvement, allowing a 
much larger reserve supply of bobbins. During this year, suit 
was entered against us by Henry M. Hewes, on a shuttle 
patent of J. H. Nason, Hewes assuming that the shuttle used 
with our looms infringed the hand-threading Nason patent. In 
the final trial and decision, we were held not to infringe. At 
this period, the Lewiston Loom Works were advertising to 
equip their looms with the Harriman attachments. Many Eng- 
lish shuttle-changing inventions were being exploited in that ter- 
ritory. The Thissell shuttle-changing loom was being exhibited 
at Lowell. 

During 1902, the British Northrop Loom Co. was organ- 
ized. During this year, we took our largest order, namely; that 
of the Grosvenor Dale Company, which thus definitely decided 
to equip all its plants with Northrop looms. In view of the 
fine character of the goods, and the reputation of the Com- 
pany, this sale had great significance. On July ist, 1902, our 
unfilled orders for complete Northrop looms, figured 21,586. 
Delegations of foreign business men, operatives, and labor 
unions, were visiting this country, to investigate the claimed ad- 
vantages of the Northrop loom. We were forced to again make 
large additions, increasing our foundry alone to cover six acres 
of ground. 

During 1903, there was considerable comment on the 
trials of long bobbins and warp stop-motions on common looms, 
in the attempt to make the common loom compete more success- 



39 



fully with the automatic. The help made stubborn protest 
against the change, and in looking back from the present period, 
it is seen that the results finally accomplished hardly warrant the 
early excitement. The warp stop-motions could not lessen the 
warp breakage and the long bobbins caused more stops through 
broken filling. Certain mills did discover that good weavers 
had not reached their limit with eight looms' but in trying to force 
the average weaver to greater exertion they aroused an antago- 
nism that was in part responsible for the most noted strike in 

cotton mill a:nnals. 

In the next few years, the introduction of our looms steadily 
continued. We took up the manufacture of bobbins, enlarging 
our works again to include a complete bobbin-making estab- 
lishment. Fresh supplies of capital and persistent introduction, 
brought about the sale of certain lots of shuttle-changing 
looms during 1906; the introducers having again taken up the 
old shuttle-changing principle after a brief trial with removable 
filling-cases. We were by this time giving more attention to 
broadening the field of the Northrop devices, successfully using 
the Northrop looms on certain grades of woolen and worsted 
goods. We had already met with great success in the broad 
Toom field, were selling many dobby looms and proving that our 
loom could be successfully used with jacquard motions. We 
were also entering the fine goods field with marked success, and 
also proving that our loom was perfectly adapted for cop 
filling. Our foreign licensees continued to increase the use of 
the Northrop loom abroad, the British Company especially 
making interesting progress. At the time of writing, the North- 
rop loom principles are more firmly established than ever, and 
more generally recognized. There is no question today in the 
minds of unprejudiced men, but that automatic looms are going 
to continuously and persistently displace the common loom. 



40 



THE NORTHROP INNOVATIONS. 

The Northrop loom, as known to the trade, is distinctive 
in being the first commercial loom to ever supply filling automat- 
ically ; the first loom to automatically supply a bobbin or cop- 
skewer to a shuttle and automatically thread the same, either 
commercially or experimentally ; the first loom to ever incorpor- 
ate a practical warp stop-motion for general weaving applica- 
tion and the first loom to automatically supply itself with filling 
before exhaustion of the running supply. As a whole, it is 
also distinct in the trade as being the first to do away with the 
old right and left hand system, the first to generally adopt the 
high-roll take-up, and the first of American manufacture to 
have a machined frame. For the benefit of those who have not 
seen the mechanism, we reproduce an illustration showing a sec- 
tion of ovu- earliest commercial type, in which the transfer of a 
bobbin to the shuttle from a circular hopper, is fairly well illus- 
trated. The empty bobbin is seen descending on a chute into a 
bobbin receptacle. The details of the mechanism now used are 
entirely different, but the fundamental principle of detecting the 
absence of filling by a filling fork, and thus causing a forward 
motion of the lay to rock a transferrer, or pusher, forcing the 
lowermost bobbin from the hopper into the shuttle, wdiere it is 
retained by springs which grip the rings on the base of the bob- 
bin, simultaneously displacing the empty bobbin, is clearly 
illustrated. The thread from the end of the bobbin is seen 
leading to the hopper itself. As the shuttle is picked, this thread 
is automatically led into its self -threading eye. Although the 
cut shows the hopper on the left side of the loom, our present 
looms are all made with the hopper on the right hand side, 
except when we change over old looms of other make, in 
which case both-hand hoppers are necessary. 



41 




42 



Our Avarp stop-motions are all mechanical, depending upon 
the support of a thin steel drop-wire, or heddle, by an unbroken 
thread. If the thread breaks, the drop-wire, or heddle, drops a 
predetermined distance into the path of a moving detecting ap- 
paratus, the stoppage of ^vhich causes the stopping of the loom. 
Our looms for perfect cloth utilize a "feeler" mechanism, which 
introduces a detector ^vithin the shuttle, to determine "when the 
filling is nearly exhausted, to then cause operation of the trans- 
ferrer to supply new filling before an empty, or partly empty 
shed can be left in the cloth. 

The filling-changer, of itself, simply allows the weaver to 
let the loom run without replenishment of filling for much longer 
intervals ; also lessening the number of hand operations neces- 
san^. By reducing the necessity of both oversight and labor, the 
weaver can take care of more looms. The warp stop-motion is 
necessary in order to protect the product from warp runs while 
the weaver is thus limited in chance for oversight, the combina- 
tion of the two devices greatly increasing the possible product 
per operative. 

To appreciate the great saving introduced by the filling- 
changer, it may be well to note the operations gone through by a 
weaver on a plain loom, when the filling is exhausted. They 
follow in the sequence now recorded, the weaver performing 
the following functions : 

1 . Releases the shipper brake. 

2. Pvishes the lay back. 

3. Withdraws the shuttle. 

4. Puts the reserve shuttle in the shuttle box on the lay. 

5. Pulls the shipper handle to start the loom. 

6. Rubs the cloth below the breast beam to prevent a thin 
place, if light goods are being woven. 

7. Picks up the discarded shuttle again. 

8. Pulls the shuttle spindle out on an angle. 



43 



9- Removes the empty bobbin or cop tube. 

10. Puts in a new bobbin or cop. 

1 1 . Pulls off a sufficient length of filling. 

12. Snaps the shuttle spindle back into place. 

13. Holds the filling over the shuttle eye entrance. 

14. Sucks the filling through the eye. 

15. Places the shuttle in its holder, w^here it remains until 
needed. 

Now^, this series of performances must be gone through %vith 

every time the filling is exhausted. On one loom, the 

filling may run from one minute to twenty minutes, according 
to the size of the yarn and the amount of yarn in the shuttle. 
The average time is perhaps six minutes, especially if vs^e count 
the number of times that the weaver must come to the loom to 
start it up when the filling breaks. With a loom having an 
average of six minvites between such stops, the weaver must 
come to the loom once every six minutes. If running eight looms, 
he would have such a duty oftener than once a minute. With 
the Northrop loom, on the contrary, the weaver can fill a hop- 
per containing 25 bobbins, which, with the same average of 
running time, "would last two hours and a half, without requir- 
ing attendance. A co-operating feature of great advantage with 
the Northrop loom is the fact that the weaver can fill the hoppers 
at convenient intervals, rather than be forced to come to the 
looms with irritating regularity. 

Referring to the associate attachment, the Warp Stop-Mo- 
tion, it is, of course, -well know^n that the warp threads will break 
in weaving. On a common loom, the broken thread 'will not be 
raised by its heddle, and thereby leaves an open space in the 
cloth, more or less visible to the eye, according to the character 
of the goods woven. Verv often the broken end gets tangled 
around adjacent threads between the harness and the reed, hold- 
ing several of them either above or below the tip of the shuttle, 



44 



which therefore causes a defect known technically as a "float" or 
"overshot." If the weaver does not notice the fault promptly, 
the extra strain will break many of the warp threads, and in any 
event, a pickout is necessary. In some mills, a weaver is forced 
to stop all looms under his charge while attending to a pickout. 
It is not necessary to explain the trouble caused by these defects 
to any weaving expert. The temples must be pulled back, all 
the filling threads that have been laid since the tangle com- 
menced removed by a tedious combing operation, the warp beam 
must be turned back, the tension of the cloth properly adjusted, 
and the loom again set in motion. 

We started with the assumption that the Northrop loom 
would enable a weaver to produce a double product. We have 
actual records of mills today where weavers produce six times 
their former common loom output, on certain distinct classes of 
weaving. A triple product is by no means uncommon ; and we 
state with positive conviction, that if there be any mill which 
does not today get a doubled former product from the Northrop 

loom, it is because of conditions for whicli tlie loom 

itself is in no way responsible. There are difficulties 
involved in the application of the Northrop principles to old 
looms which make it necessary that most of the old looms shall 
be replaced. We buy thousands of good common looms, which 
are exchanged for Northrop looms, and melt them over into 
Northrop loom parts. It is no slight task to practically replace 
the entire equipment of the most important manufacturing de- 
partment of one of the greatest world industries. It cannot be 
done in one decade, it cannot be done in one century. The 
power loom itself was introduced over one hundred years ago 
and yet there are large countries which still make most of their 
cloth on hand looms ; in fact, it is possible that more than one- 
half the people of this earth depend on hand weaving for the 
majority of the cloth that they use. 



45 



The natural growth of the cotton weaving industry of the 
United States, requires over 30,000 new looms, per year, 
v\^ithout counting the new looms also necessary to replace worn- 
out machinery. Our product has averaged over 15,000 looms a 
year for several years, and a considerable fraction of this output 
replaces old machinery. To replace the entire amount of com- 
mon looms that are weaving goods suitable for automatic appli- 
cations, and also supply the yearly demand for similar looms, 
would require an output far beyond our present facilities. 

There are good reasons why the introduction should be 
gradual. The profits made by use of improvements are only 
possible while there is a comparison in price of production be- 
tween the users of the improvements and those who do not use 
them. We wish to give our early customers a sufficient profit 
from their machinery, and we also wish to give present pur- 
chasers proper profit. They will be assured of profit just so 
long as any considerable element continues to use more expen- 
sive methods of manufacture. 



"The wide mterest in automatic weaving which is now developing 
in England brings forth very interesting newspaper discussions. Our 
policy of breaking up second-hand looms replaced by the Northrop, for 
instance, calls forth the following comment : 

"So what is done by one big firm who make automatic looms, when 
it gets an order? It takes the ordinary looms, which may be quite as 
good, as p art payment for the new. It doesn't use them. It just smashes 
them into uselessness. That is, on the face of it, the throwing away of 
thousands of pounds. It is a thing, I fancy, no Englishman would have 
the courage to do. But look at the longsightedness ; it is putting out of 
the marliet a huge quantity of looms, and so, partially by inducement, 
partially by compulsion, forcing on the time when all manufacturers 
I will take to automatic machinery, and then will be the time when the 
huge harvest will be reaped." — [Cotton Chats^ Jan., "03. 



46 



"One man who came under my personal observation was working 
27 looms. He was producing a print cloth, 28 inches wide, 60x64 ends 
per inch, 29's warp and 37's weft. The average for the whole mill was 
about 19 looms per weaver. Is it possible for our manufacturers to 
compete with this?" — \^English experVs report on visit to America, from 
English paper, October^ 1902. 



"The cloth is as near perfect as can be. Weavers run, or attend, 
from 16 to 28 Northrop looms, and do not work any harder than I have 
seen them do on eight common looms, and pretty near all the weavers 
here are what would be called new weavers ; that is, having only from 
two to three years' experience; and, in fact, the majority of them 
learned here." — \_Contrihutor to Wade's Fibre and Fabric. 



"The Northrop looms at this mill are running on 60s warp and 70s 
to 80s tilling. T have never seen looms run any better, on coarse num- 
bers even, than these are i-unning ; in fact I do not see how any looms 
could do better. The weavers run 16 looms each and did not seem to 
have anything to do. The overseer called my attention to his loom fix- 
ers on these looms sitting down by their bench sleeping, which he said 
was no unusual sight. He says he gets all of 95 per cent, product." — 
[^Extract from Expert's Report, June 20, 1903. 



"Ml- said the only fault he can find with the Northrop 

looms today is that they use too much filling. Since he came here he 
has had to put two extra spinning frames on to spinning filling for 
these looms, and now he has just put on the third." 

(In another mill) . "Mr. , the overseer of weaving, says they 

are getting 93 per cent, product from the Northrop looms, 26 looms to a 
weaver, 163 picks per minute." — [Extract from Expert's Beport, Dec. 12, 
1903. 



"The work at this mill is running very nicely indeed. They now 
have some weavers running 30 looms each, and with all their looms 
running — 1292 I understand — they have only 59 weavers at the present 
time, and expect to spread the weavers further the coming week." — 
\_Fi-om ExperVs Beport of Jan. 16, 1904. 



47 



"The weavers are still running 20 looms each here, but it is hardly 
enough for them. There was less than 5 per cent, of the looms stopped, 
and the overseer thought I had made a mistake in count, as he said he 
was weaving 98 per cent, right along." — [^Frorn Experfs Beport of March 
26, 1904. 



"On their print looms, the weavers are running from 16 to 28 looms. 
Most of the weavers, however, are running 20, 24, and 26. They pay 
•for weaving ^% cents per cut of 52 yards." — \_From Experts Bepor't, 
of April 16, 1904. 



"In No. 1 mill I saw one room with 216 looms in it being run by six 
weavers. These weavers run 36 looms each, cotton harness and double- 
thread stop-motion. The goods are 80x88 25s warp 33s filling. Four 
boys fill the batteries for this room, and they are getting as much prod- 
uct as when the weavers ran 24 looms each and filled their own bat- 
teries. The overseer says he expects to get a larger product than before. 
The weavers like this arrangement better than the former one. The 
overseer told me that the weavers tell him that filling the batteries is 
more than half of their work." — \_ExperVs Beport, April, 1904. 



*"They have an average of about 18 looms to the weaver, and aie 
making prints 64x60, paying 6 1-4 cents a cut for 54 yards." — \_From 

Expert's Beport of May 7, 1904. 



"Called at the Mills; found them exceedingly pleased with 

the Northrop looms. They are getting an average of between 26 and 
27 yards per day, which is more than two yards more than they get 
from their common looms. They are weaving 78x80 goods, 40" wMe, 
52 yards, and pay 20 cents a cut against 42 cents. The weavers are run- 
ning 20 looms ; there are two fixers on 204 looms, and the only extra 
help in the room is two boys for cleaning and oiling." — '] Salesman'' s 
Beport, Oct. 10, 1903. 



48 



"Their weaving is running extremely well, and they have on 1182 
looms, which they have been running an average of about 19 1-2 looms 

per weaver, and Mr. is sure they will be able to bring it down 

to an average of 22 looms to the weaver throughout." — lExperVs Iteport 
of Nov. 14, 1903. 



"Their Northrop looms were all running very well; the weavers 
run 18 prints each, and on the wider looms 16 each; the fixers run 115 
looms each." — \_Extract from Experts Report, Jan. 2, 1904. 



"I have never seen the loom run as steadily as they are today. 

Mr. ■ , overseer of weaving, tells me that he is getting 92 per 

cent, product right along, and has a large number of looms on 100s 
warp and 120s filling. The weavers run 16 looms each, and about every 
weaver has two looms out of the 16 running with two shuttles, cotton 
warp and silk filling, very light goods which they are making on the 
Northrop loom because they get better goods than they can on the 
(Another make of \oo\n.)^\_Salesman''s Beport in June, 1905. 



"I found one mill in the South which had 5 weavers, with 40 Northrop 
print looms each, getting an average of over 90 per cent, without help 
from filling boys ; in fact, the scarcity of small help in the South has 
practically eliminated the use of children to assist in filling hoppers. 
At another mill there were 16 weavers running 30 Northrop looms each, 
on sheetings, without assistance, getting an average of 93 per cent. ; in 
fact, the 30-loom weavers averaged a higher percentage of product than 
those with 24 or 20 looms. At another mill they averaged 22 print looms 
to the weaver through the whole mill, which has a very large equip- 
ment, and they get 100 per cent, production, since the looms run over 
time sulficient to cancel the actual loss made during the regular 11 hours. 
These are wonderful showings for a machine with only 11 years of in- 
troduction, which started with a basis of 16 looms to the weaver." 
— \_Cotton C%als, Dec, '06. 



49 



PRICES AND PROFITS. 

The price demanded for a new machine should bear a per- 
tinent relation to the profits to be derived from its use. The 
machine itself may be absolutely efficient, accomplishing all 
'that its promoters claim, and yet demand a price prohibitive by 
reason of the capital required. On the other hand, a new^ 
machine may be sold so cheaply as to give little encouragement 
to the builders to continue its improvement, through the only 
possible channels ; namely, expensive experiment. Contrary to 
a popular fallacy, inventors rarely devote their time and energy 
entirely for the good of the vs^orld at large. Those who develop 
and introduce the inventions are certainly not so impractically 
altruistic. There is no reason why the customer should not pay 
a proper price for value received ; and yet, in the general intro- 
duction of inventions, it is necessary to give the customer the 
lion's share of profit, in order to secure his approbation. The 
value of our spindle improvements to the world at large has 
recently been estimated at two hundred and fifty million dollars ; 
and yet the return in price paid for the actual spindles them- 
selves, sold within the period referred to, would be under 
twenty-five million dollars, which payment must cover the cost 
of the spindles themselves, the cost of the patents, the cost of 
expensive litigation, and all the experiments, advertising, and 
general expense connected with the industry. 

The introduction of our spindles was comparatively easy 
coiTipared with the introduction of our loom, for the early price 
of new spinning with high speed spindles was actually less for a 
given product than the slow running frames, while v\^ith our loom 
the price is nearly three times the price of the competing loom. 



50 




B MODEL. 

Not now built. This pattern was continually improved and 
was our standaixl for prints and other light goods until 1898. It 
had a wider frame than the A model, longer shuttle boxes, new 
take-up, Stearns rocker and One Hand construction. 



"There can be no doubt that the enormous expansion of the Ameri- 
can cotton industry during recent years has been very largely owing to 
the Northrop loom, and the conviction is steadily gaining ground in this 
country that only by the general adoption of the Northrop loom can 
our cotton trade be put once more upon a thoroughly sound basis." — 
[Letter from London correspondent to The Lndian Textile Journal, printed 
September, 1903. 



51 



so far as the amount of product is concerned. There is always 
a protest against higher prices, no matter what the advantages 
may be. 

Looking at the introducer's side, it is evident that, having 
but seventeen years of patent protection, several years of which 
are usually used up before actual sales are made, he must make 
enough out of this limited period to repay all of his expenditure 
involved in perfecting, protecting and introducing his idea, as 
well as a fair bonus to repay for the risk of attempting to im- 
prove in the first place. The profits must also cover the expense 
of hundreds of useless experiments, thousands of disused pat- 
terns, possible litigation, extensive advertising, replacement by 
improved parts, etc. 

The average piece-price for goods woven on Northrop 
looms is probably a little less than half the former weaving 
rate. To offset this gain we have an increased cost of the 
loom itself, with loss of interest on the extra investment money, 
and a very slight increase in repairs and fixing, although there 
are mills which claim that their expenses in this line are actually 
less -with the Northrop loom. Roughly figured, the gross 
profit on the loom should run from $20 per year per loom up- 
ward. It varies with the scale of wages paid, and the number 
of common looms formerly tended. The weaver that changes 
from four common looms to twelve Northrop will show a 
greater gain than one who changes from eight to twenty. There 
ai"e many incidental advantages in the lessening of the number 
of operatives required./" When we take half the help 
out of the main department of a mill we greatly 
lessen the numher of tenements necessary, lessen 
the cost of bookkeeping and paying off and less 
personal attention is required from the super- 
visors^/^ 

Our loom, being automatic in chai-acter, requires much less 



52 



skill and training in the operative, for it is easy to learn to 
run Northrop looms ; in fact, green help become accomplished 
weavers in a much shorter period than v^ith common looms. 
As the loom is automatic and therefore more responsible for er- 
rors, there is less chance for trouble with the weavers over bad 
work and lines. Some of these matters may seem small in 
themselves, but they amount to considerable in the aggregate. 

No labor-saving device attains its full efficiency in the first 
few years of use. Our later large hopper looms have certainly 
enlarged the scope of the weaver, and continual improvement 
will gradually reduce warp breakage and loom stops due to va- 
rious other causes. 

The problem of how to increase earnings is often solved by 
enlarging the plant, but less money applied to the improvement 
of a present plant may sometimes give far greater retui'ns with 
much less inconvenience. The change from common to North- 
rop looms requires no addition to floor space. As above noted, 
it greatly decreases the number of operatives, and therefore 
solves a most perplexing problem in localities where weavers 
are scarce. If the old mills will not appreciate these facts 
they must face the competition of the new mills, which 
start with more modern equipment. We are frank to say that 
the hesitation of many of the older mills has been distinctly dis- 
appointing, for w^e should like to see them share in the benefits 
of our new ideas on account of the friendship founded on long 
and intimate associations. Failing to induce them to take the 
majority of our products, however, we must in justice to ourselves 
encourage the building of new plants.-^ We should, if necessary, 
place our looms, even if we had to build and operate mills our- 
selves in which they were used ; for we are absolutely convinced 
that the mills with our machinery can make profits in straight 
competitive lines at prices which will drive the older, poorly 
equipped mills, out of business. If there is demand enough to 



53 



make a profit for all, the mills with our machinery 
Trill make the greater part of it; and when there is no 
profit at all for the older mill, the newer mills can at least keep 
a balance on the right side of the ledger,/' 

It is not to be supposed that the introduction of a revolu- 
tionary machine like the Northrop loom is effected without diffi- 
culty, annoyance and delay. Those who use common looms and 
have not immediate chance for replacing them are naturally 
•anxious that their competitors should not adopt advantageous 
improvements. Those who sell common looms are averse to 
acknowledge the merits of their competitors and the influence 
of a large body of manufacturers with their salesmen and per- 
sonal friends is of acknowledged weight and importance. There 
is also a limited class who have made unsuccessful experiments 
with certain lines of weaving with the new devices and who are 
not disposed to admit that the other mills can be more successful 
than themselves. All of these opposing elements together create 
a certain atmosphere of doubt and a disinclination to accept facts. 

Some time ago we were permitted to see a record from the 
books of a large Northern mill using both Northrop and common 
looms. The figures were based on a low scale of weaving wages 
for the common loom. The figures showed an actual difference 
of $23.52 per loom per year in favor of the Northrop loom above 
all extra expense for supplies, fixing, cleaning, etc. The 
weavers on the Northrop loom also earned $55.12 each, per year, 
above the earnings of the common loom weavers. This record 
is based on sixteen Northrop looms to the w^eaver. Some mills 
already run twenty-eight Northrop looms to the weaver. 

On noting a broker's list of Southern cotton mill stocks for 
sale, with prices bid and asked, the writer, as a matter of curi- 
osity, separated out the mills which had bought Northrop 
looms, and figured a comparison in the value of the stock as 
quoted. The price askecl was taken in each case, the price bid 



54 



being added in only where there was no asking price. The total 
result showed that 28 mills without Northi-op looms averaged 
a stock value, as thus figured, of $103 a share. The 37 other 
mills, having Northrop looms, averaged on the same basis, $114 
per share. 

Prices of looms vary somewhat with cost of materials and 
equipment desired. They should properly vary in proportion to 
the expense and utility of new attachments. We do not, how- 
ever, add to the price of our loom when impi'oving its funda- 
mental features. It has been estimated that we have act- 
ually added $15 of cost per loom to our complete 
machine since its earlier stages. We are glad to esti- 
mate on whatever looms are desired. Old coinmon looms are 
taken in exchange at fair allowance under certain conditions. 



When mill-men begin to figure on automatic loom profits 
they have sometimes adopted serious fallacies. There is grave 
chance for en-or in dealing with the items of interest and depre- 
ciation. For instance, if we assume a Northrop loom cost of 
$140 and a common loom cost of $50 to make the same goods, 
there is an extra cost of $90 to be paid out of extra earnings. 
If we took 5% for interest = $4.50 and 10% for depreciation 
= $9, we have $13.50 to offset against the loom earnings; but 
this is not fair figuring for each year as can easily be explained. 
The extra $90 should be treated as if it were a debt to be paid. 
Now if at the end of the first year we charge 5 % interest on the 
$90, we have $4.50 out of earnings but the 10% depreciation of 
$9 is a practical payment of the debt to that amount and thus 
reduces the debt to $81. It is on this sum that the interest for 
the next year is to be paid =$4.05 and the depreciation is now 
but $8.10. The columns following give the totals year by year. 



55 



Intei-est 


on 


$90 = 


u 


( ( 


81 


u 


u 


72.90 


u 


u 


65.61 


i, i 


u 


59-05 


ii 


(C 


53-15 


a 


u 


47.84 


u 


u 


43.06 


a 


(( 


38.76 


u 


u 


34-89 


ii, 


u 


31-41 


a 


u 


28.27 


a 


(( 


25-45 


u 


u 


22.91 


u 


u 


20.62 


u 


k( 


18.56 


u 


u 


16.71 


u 


a 


15.04 


u 


u 


13-54 


u 


u 


12.19 



$4.50 


Depreciation 


= $9 


4-05 


(; 


8.10 


3-65 


a 


?-^^ 


3.28 


u 


6.56 


2-95 


u 


5-90 


2.66 


ii. 


5-32 


2-39 


a 


4.78 


2.15 


1. i. 


4-30 


1-94 


a 


3-88 


1.74 


i I 


3-49 


1-57 


u 


3-M 


1. 41 


a 


2.83 


1.27 


a 


2.55 


1. 15 


a 


2.29 


1.03 


a 


2.06 


•^3 

.84 




1.86 
1.67 


•75 


i (, 


1.50 


.68 


1. i 


1-35 


.61 


a 


1.22 



first year 
2nd " 


3d 


a 




4th 

5th 
6th 




7 th 
8th 




9th 
loth 




nth 


u 


1 2th 


u 


13th 
14th 
15th 
1 6th 


u 
u 


17th 
1 8th 


it. 


19th 
20th 





20)39.55 20)79.09 



Average = 1.98 Average = 3.95 



The average yearly interest and depreciation for twenty years 
is therefore $i.98+$3-95 or $5-93- There is still some $12.19 
left to be paid on the original extra cost, but the extra mechan- 
ism will certainly be worth that much at that time— and consid- 
erably more. 

Now, if a weaver earns $10 a week on 8 common looms 
and is given $12 a week on 24 Northrop looms with the same 
product per loom in each case, a perfectly feasible assumption, 
there will be a weekly saving on each Northrop loom of 75 cents, 
or $39 per loom per year, a net saving with average interest and 
depreciation out, of $33.07. If, instead of 24 Northrop looms at 
$12 wages, we assume 20 Northrop looms at $10 wages, the 



56 



saving is precisely the same, and it is certainly easier to run 20 
Northrop looms than 8 common looms on the same goods. We 
claim that it is easier to run 24 Northrop looms, but we have 
conceded an extra pay on this number, to overcome the conserv- 
atism of the operative. 

Now^ understand that the $33.07 is net profit. Reduce it 
by every possible or unauthorized estimate and it must still be 
noticeable and important. Call it $30 or $25 or $20 it is still 
$300, $250 or $200 in 10 years (more, w^ith alloM^ance for inter- 
est on the savings) or $600, $500 or $400 in 20 years. 

Capitalize the saving of $33.07 at 5% and it v\rould show 
the Northrop attachments worth $661.40 each. At 10% they 
are worth $330.70 each. 

In allowing a deduction of 10 per cent, depre- 
ciation Tve assume a cut far beyond that used by 
tbe average mill on any other class of machinery. 
Were such a reduction made yearly on all ma- 
chinery it would wipe out much of supposed 
profit and surplus. 

There are many possible purchasers who have continuously 
postponed patronage in the hope that our prices might be re- 
duced through competition, or because they thought we would 
continue to improve the mechanism and they w^ished to be sure 
of getting the very best mechanical construction. Prices might 
have changed — they may change — but in view of the expenses of 
making and introducing these looms, there will be no material 
change in price that should affect a customer in ptuxhase. Some 
have waited twelve years or more, and lost a possible profit that 
w^ould have paid for several purchases of looms. 



51 



"There are several concerns now organized which make a practice 
of appraising the value of equipment in establishments of various 
kinds. One of sucli recently wrote us about the value of some of our 
looms in a mill which they liad been asked to investigate. They had 
been told the actual price paid, but insisted that there was some mistake, 
for they thought that such a complicated and well made machine should 
certainly be worth several times the value given. AVe can easily under- 
stand how appearances deceived them ; for it is only by employment of 
the most improved processes and strictest use of economy, that we are 
enabled to keep our prices where they are. The foreign builders who 
make our looms from similar patterns, invariably chai-ge a much higher 
price than we do, in spite of their cheaper labor. "^[Co«o?i Chats, 
Oct., '04. 



"Manufacturers would prefer to do away with the employment of 
small children, but in certain sections where parents must work, they 
often insist on having their children in the mill with them. There is a 
serious lack of sufficient good help at present, and if child labor is to be 
dispensed with, many mills must shut down. These conditions present 
an extremely difficult question ; one that should be considered temper- 
ately, and with full knowledge of the subject. We believe the proper 
solution lies in the extended use of labor-saving machinery, and are con- 
stantly bending our efforts toward the production of a greater product 
per operative. The substitution of such machinery increases the labor 
supply, and usually increases tlie wages of the operative. Both limit 
the necessity for child labor, reducing productive costs in the most ac- 
ceptable manner." — [Cotton Chats, March, '06. 



"Mr. said the last time the treasurer was there he wanted to 

go in and see the Northrop looms. Every loom was running and the 
weavers sitting down. The treasurer said tliat was enough, he did not 
care to see the rest of tlie weaving. The overseer told the agent in my 
presence that it is hard work to get weavers for his common looms, as 
they all want the Northrop." — [From Expert's Beport of March 26, 1904. 



"The mills now working under the disadvantage of being short in 
help can readily see how the Northrop loom immediately increases tlie 
number of operatives available. By putting in Northrop looms in a 
room where a considerable percentage of looms are now stopped, there 
will be plenty of weavers to run all the new looms, vsith a surplus of 
help which can help out other departments. A study of our present 
order list would show that many mills are following just such a system 
as we now propose." — [Cotton Chats, Oct., '06. 



58 



Some who will not acquaint themselves with the actual 
facts of the situation seem to think that our loom is still limited 
to print cloth and sheetings. As a matter of fact we weave 
about every class of product suitable for one shuttle looms. We 
have looms running with Jacquards, dobbies, cam motions, bag 
motions, centre-forks, centre selvage, etc. We not only weave 
prints, sheetings, shirtings, drills, twills and lawns, but also fine 
sateens, chambrays, window curtains, awning cloth, denims, 
duck, bags, towels, mosquito netting, table cloths and other 
countless varieties. 

Not only do our looms weave these goods but they weave 
them well — give good quality with small per cent, of seconds. 
We know of mills that use Northrop looms for their most par- 
ticular goods — in fact, some selling houses insist on having 
certain weaves made on Northrop looms. 



"AVe have been running twenty-six of your Northrop looms for a 
little over a year and it has occurred to me that you might be interested 
in results obtained. Our percentage of seconds for the last three 
months from these looms, for all causes, such as thin places, button 
hole selvedges, oil cords in filling, etc., is only 2.07 per cent. Goods 
weigh 2.85 yards to the pound, 18s wa:rp, 15s filling. 1 believe this is a 
low figure, especially as these goods are all bleached and the bleachery 
reports that our grading of first quality is strict so that they have prac- 
tically nothing to say to us except to hold the goods up to our standard. 
Conservative figures show that the looms are producing about 93 1-2 per 
cent, of theoretical production figured on our actual running time. We 
do not run them over time at all, as some mills do. Some mills may 
show a larger percentage than we get, but as the goods must bear rigid 

inspection I think the results jiroduced are fair The looms 

give us little if any trouble in fixing, and repair account for them is 
very light. We are running them 170 picks, which is somewhat higher 
than you recommend for 45" reed space looms, but they give us no 
trouble in that respect." — ILetter received from customer Sept. 28, 1900. 



"They say they have never had any complaint from the selling 
house in regard to the quality of their cloth, and some of the goods they 
are weaving in 6-cuts rolls, and sending it out even without "inspecting 
it at the mill." — [Expert's Beport of Bee. 12, 1903. 



59 



"We looked at the Draper looms, which are running extremely 
well, with weavers running 16 looms each on 4-shade cotton flannel, 17s. 
warp and 9s filling. They are doing very well with the feelers and 
were making little waste." — \_8alesmaii''s Beport of Nov. 28, 1903. 



"T called at the Mills; found the looms running very well. 

They have reduced the seconds on their plain work to 1 1-2 per cent, and 
► on their sateens to one-half of one per cent. This is perfectly satisfac- 
tory to them." — lSalesinan''s Beport, Oct. 24, 1903. 



"It is always diflicult to eradicate early impressions. When we 
started the introduction of the Northrop loom over ten years ago, we 
confined ourselves to prints and sheetings, using bobbin filling and 2- 
harness equipment. Many still think we are limited to medium or 
coarse filling, plain goods, and the use of bobbins rather than cops. I 
was in a weave room recently, however, in which over 800 Northrop 
looms were using cop filling, and none of the looms running with 
coarser than 50s warp or 60s filling. Most of the yarn was of much 
finer grades, running as high as 140s filling and 100s warp. One North- 
rop loom was equipped with a jacquard and several with dobbies. Some 
of the looms ran very difliicult weaves, having but 72 picks of 120s filling 
per inch. The percentage of seconds was very low. The weavers were 
running from 12 to 16 looms each." — \_CoUon Chats, May, '06. 



"In a circular letter accompanying a five-per cent, semi-annual 
wage dividend, the treasurer of the Bourne Mills uses the following 
language in part : 

'People pay for what pleases. Only a few weeks ago, one of the 
largest and shrewdest buyers in America said to me frankly, 'I would 
rather have your goods than any others.' It is no more than fair for 
you to know this because I wish you to feel that every one of you has a 
share in pleasing that customer. The goods sjDcak for themselves, good 
or bad, and bear witness in some form of the touch of every hand that 
takes any part in producing tliem.' " — [Cotton Chats, Aug., '06. 



6o 



ATTEMPTS AT COMPETITION. 

Whenever a successful and profitable device is made in any 
mechanical art, competition of some nature is inevitable. Those 
who wish to share in the profits of others' success first try to find 
how near they can copy without infringement of patent claims. 
If the departure be so radical and the patents so strong that no 
close imitation is possible, the only recourse of the aspirants is to 
take some formerly unsuccessful attempt and try to make it mar- 
ketable. When introducing devices that are plainly not so good 
as the accepted machine, it is natural in these days of lessening 
regard for veracity to boldly claim that they are better. Sufficient 
persistence can sell certain quantities of product of any nature, 
especially since curiosity always promotes a trial of any idea that 
is well advertised. In our past experience those who asserted the 
superiority of differing devices, promptly dropped their 

supposedly preferable product to copy ours just as 
soon as patent protection expired. We believe our 

present competitors will similarly take backwater if they remain 
in business long enough to profit by patent expiration. Our 
competition up to the time of writing has included that of 
common looms, still urged on customers by their manufac- 
turers ; common looms adapted for longer filling bobbins ; com- 
mon looms with warp stop-motions ; common looms with both 
long bobbin and stop-motions; and shuttle-changing looms. 
As to common loom competition, we think our chapter on com- 
parison of costs sufficently illuminating. The introduction of 
a long bobbin has no relevance, since the IVorthrop loom 

will take an equally long bobbin, and thus preserve 

the same comparative basis of saving. The application of a 
w^arp stop-motion to a common loom in no way diminishes the 
labor of the operative ; in fact, it makes more labor for the 



6i 



operative. There may be a percentage of saving, but such per- 
centage in comparison with the cost of application could, even 
if proven, but simply emphasize the savings possible by use of 
real labor-saving attachments like the Northrop filling-changer. 
As to shuttle-changing looms, while exploited in many coim- 
tries by dozens of interested parties, they do not meet with gen- 
eral popular approval, becavise of their excessive complication, 
and their inherent defects. 

It is a common trick in diplomacy to anticipate criticism of 

defect by over praise of the very thing open to 

criticism. The very recognition of extra complication has 
led promoters to emphatically declare their mechanism simple 
by comparison. Shuttle-changers are necessarily complicated, 
they are necessarily limited in the amount of filling reserve, thev 
introduce difficulties in the setting of the looms to accommodate 
many shuttles, and they still require the weaver to go through the 
operations of shvittling the bobbin and threading the eye. We do 
not claim that shuttle-changing looms cannot run, nor that they 
cannot show some saving in labor ; but we do claim that they 
require more labor to run them, more labor to keep them in 
order, and more cost for repair than filling-changing looms. 

Although we were the first to introduce warp stop-motions 
for general practice, we do not assume to control the entire field, 
although we do receive royalty from certain devices introduced 
by others. We believe we make the best mechanically oper- 
ated warp stop-motions, and we can apply electrical stop- 
motions when desired. 

As to the coming competition through copies of our own 
inventions, it is well to remember that the first commercially 
successful Northrop looms were not started in the mills of our 
customers till 1895. While certain patents issued earlier than 
this date, they did not illustrate the mechanisms which were 
commercially suitable. The patents which show the median- 



62 



isms used on these first looms, will not expire till 191 2, or 
later. Attempts at competition before that time will be limited 
to mechanisms that will probably be much inferior to the mech- 
anisms used by us in 1895, 

Now we know of our own experience, that the loom we 
build and sell today is vastly better than that marketed in 1895. 
It is certainly worth much more than the difference between the 
price we charge and the price that any possible competitor could 
charge. By 191 2, we shall undoubtedly have added further per- 
fections, and made the distinction yet more clear. We shall 
promptly apply for protection from the coiuls if anyone at- 
tempts to duplicate our loom of 1S95 before 191 2. 

If competitors build as good a loom as we sell and equip it 
with all our approved devices, they cannot sell at prices much 

lower than ours, viiiless tliey are willing: to lose 
money, or unless they can duplicate our large fa- 
cilities and use our improved processes. We con- 
fess to making satisfactory profits ; but we make them by pro- 
ducing in great quantity, and by using every possible economy. 
The profit that is really due to the patent protection is less than 
that proportionately taken on any other important patented in- 
vention that we know of; in fact, it is lesS than that 

often taken by manufacturers of machinery which 
has no patent protection and includes no patent 

or experimental expense. The cotton machinery busi- 
ness is peculiar in its unreliability. The demands of the trade 
are so irregular that we are forced to provide plant and facilities 
for a maximum of orders, there being years when we run with 
half force, with general expenses undiminished. Competitors 
will have similar difficulties. They will also have to meet our 
competition; and it may not be assumed that we shall deliver 
any share of our business to others without something of a 
struggle. 



63 



It is not always wise for owners of important patents to try 
to outline their scope, since the courts retain that privilege ; and 
the courts must be the final judicants. We may say that we be- 
lieve all the important features of our loom to be controlled by 
patents, and we shall certainly assume that our patents (io con- 
trol them until the courts prove otherwise. We now have 
nearly looo loom patents available for use in litigation, the major- 
ity of which yve own outright, the remainder being at our service 
for such use whenever necessary. The United States Govern- 
ment gives the introducers of inventions a chance to profit from 
their exclusive monopoly, for not less than 17 years. We shall 
endeavor to uphold the intentions of the Government by claim- 
ing the full limit for each and every one of our patents. 

There may be instances in which some particular patent or 
other may be limited by disclosures in the prior art, or there 
may be proper differences of opinion as to just what its claims 
may cover. In such cases, we are perfectly v^illing to let the 
courts decide on the proper scope and interpi-etation, and we 
shall appeal to the courts for such decision whenever compelling 
circumstances arise. We have no envy of others' success ; we 
have no desire to prevent outside inventors, or promoters, from 
profiting by their new and meritorious ideas ; but we do resent 
attempts to profit from the work whicll we OUrselves 
have done, and we shall use every legitimate means within 
our power to make such competition profitless for those who 
compete with us. 

The fact that we have not been invariably successful in liti- 
gation hardly offers a chance for criticism, since we are not so 
cautious as to confine our attacks to the cases in which we must 
necessarily win. We are perfectly willing to take an even 
chance ; we are also willing to take a flghting chance. 

In our circular of November, 1897, we had a word to say 
to possible competitors, which still seems pertinent. We there- 



64 



fore reprint a portion as a few unfortunate experimenters failed 
to note its truth on first appearance : 

"There are doubtless many bright men who will in the next few 
years give time and toil in the endeavor to evade the claims of our pat- 
ents while producing similar mechanism. In view of the many other 
fields for inventive skill we ask — Is it worth the while ? We are un- 
doubtedly the first in the field and legitimately entitled to a fair reward 
for the expenditure of money, loss of time and consumption of brain 
energy. Our success is no vagary of chance or lucky stroke of for- 
tune. Every step in advance has been gained after constant thought 
and experiment, with ten failures for every success. The patent office 
has recognized the novelty of our devices by broad basic claims. We 
have searched the records here and abroad, and have proof that we are 
pioneers in our line. We shall defend our rights in the courts with the 
obstinacy of conviction, if such methods are necessary. We have no 
wish for chance to show our strength. A lawsuit involves a waste of 
energy for one side at least, and an expense for both. We appreciate 
these facts after thirty years of continuous litigation." 



"All mill men know that long bobbins weave oft* worse, especially 
in common shuttles where the bobbins are skewered on a spindle. It 
has been called to our attention that weavers in mills using these long 
bobbins on common looms, will not sometimes take the trouble to weave 
otf a small amount of filling when it breaks near the lower end of the 
bobbin. They find it saves time to pocket such bobbins and use them at 
home to start the fire with. Of course, the loss to the mill is consider- 
able, both in yarn and bobbins too. We would suggest that some of the 
mills who are trying the long bobbin experiment should keep the run of 
this item of loss, and see whether it does not counterbalance some of 
their supposed advantages." — [Cotton Chats, May, '05. 



"We have called attention several times to the difficulty in properly 
boxing a large number of shuttles in shuttle-changing looms. The 
shuttles will necessarily vary somewhat, and when the box is set to re- 
ceive the largest shuttle properly, the smaller shuttles will enter with 
less friction and receive more of a shock. It has been claimed that the 
shuttle-changing loom was vastly superior to the Northrop for cop-fill- 
ing, but this bad boxing of shuttles is very liable to split cops ; in fact, 
one of our experts noted some shuttle-changing cop looms where split 
cops were so numerous as to attract immediate attention. The weaver on 
these looms emphasized his disapproval by stating that it would take a 
'hay-rake' to carry off the waste." — [Cotton Chats, July, '06. 



65 



LOOM MODELS. 

WE DESIGNATE OUR DIFFERENT LOOM MODELS 
AS FOLLOWS: 

A Model. — Like those sold in 1895 to the Queen City Mill, and 
' other early customers. 

B Model. — Standard up to 1898. 
C Model. — Never put out. 



Above models now obsolete. 



D Model. — First heavy pattern. (Now modified D.) 

E Model. — Standard, replacing the B Model. 

F Model. — Extra heavy pattern for 72 inch goods and wider, 

replaced by L Model. 
G Model. — A special pattern not to be duplicated. 
H Model. — Heavy pattern. Side-cam corduroy loom. 
I Model. — New construction for same goods as the E model. 
J Model. — Special light two-harness loom. 
K Model. — E Model widened to take 24 harness dobby. 
L Model. — New extra heavy wide Model. 

While we have lettered twelve different models we do not 
illustrate them all, for some have been superseded, some are for 
too limited usage and some are unnecessary since other models 
have been revised to contain all their advantages. It is best for 
all concerned to limit the models so far as possible in order that 
a competent lot of fixers may be trained, and better for the same 
reason that there be no great multiplicity of devices operating 
for like purpose. 

With this aim in view we present the modernized E Model 



66 




CROSS SECTION OF D MODEL LOOM. 

No. I hopper, five harness, cotton harness. Roper warp-stop. 



67 



as our standard loom for all moderate widths and moderately 
heavy service. We find few customers who care for a special 
light loom for light weaves alone, preferring a style that has 
greater range of application. Our present E Model is heavier 
than the usual print or sheeting loom and can be used for a wide 
I'ange of weaves. Since its early introduction it has received 
many improvements. 




E MODEL.— AS BUILT IN 1901 AND LATER. 

This is the regular standard type for general weaving used 
since 1898. It began to receive the large hopper, as per cut, in 
1901. More looms have been sold of this model than any other 
that we have put out. 



68 




E MODEL OF 1907. 

Cut shows 5 harness, wire heddle, loom, with Lacey top- 
rig, worm take-up, feeler and double fork. We equip this model 
with steel harness — 2 to 5 harnesses ; cotton harness ditto ; com- 
mon breast beam and low roll cut-motion if desired; special 
bag motion, centre selvage, measuring devices, pick counters 
and other special attachments if specified. Note new cast iron 
top for bobbin can, three part arch, Bolton loom seat, etc. 



69 




END VIEW OF E MODEL 1907 PATTERN. 



70 




K MODEL. 



Note the outside bearing for crank-shaft, double arch and 
dobby, etc. We have several thousand looms of this type in 
use, giving excellent satisfaction. 



71 



%t-. 




H MODEL, HEAVY SIDE CAM LOOM, 8 HARNESS. 



This model has been used extensively and successfully on 
corduroy. We can furnish it with as many as twelve harnesses 
if desired. 



72 




OUR 'X'' MODBL LOOM. 



While we have had excellent success with the broad looms 
which we have already sold, we have felt that improvement 
was possible, especially in view of certain governing conditions. 
It seems quite important that a broad loom intended to replace 
old broad looms, should have the same floor space, and in this 
new design we have kept within the conventional limits. We 
build this model to weave cloth from 72 to 108 inches in width. 

It will be noticed that we drive from an auxiliary shaft, 
with pulley geared to run at higher speed than the crank shaft, 
thereby producing great ease in operation.; in fact, one observer 
said that it ran as easy as a 40 inch loom. We drive through a 
friction clutch pulley, and stop with a band brake, to which we 
call especial attention. 



73 



The pick motion on a broad loom requires careful study. 
We have made a long line of experiments on our rocker motion 
and shuttle box design with this end in view. We use a front 
binder on our broad looms exclusively, with long shutttle box 
and lengthened shuttle. When weaving two beams, we use 
a compensating, compound let-o£E. Our crank shaft is of 
great strength, being 2 1-4 inches in diameter. The lay and 
reed cap are also of extra strength. We apply an auxiliary, 
shipper rod so that the weaver may stop or start the loom from 
the hopper end, without walking over to the shipper end. In 
broad loom weaving, this saves appreciable time. We have a 
new shipper mechanism which operates with great ease — one 
finger will move it. We also now apply swinging brackets or 
rests to assist in handling the large roll of cloth when removing 
same from the loom. 



HOPPERS. 

Our hopper, which is the heart of the filling-changer, has 
undergone quite an evolution since the first introduction of our 
loom. Our early No. i hopper is shown in several of the illus- 
trations. The 25-bobbin hopper marked a noted advance, and 
the present spring-butt style will, we think, prove even more 
satisfactory. We have recently been introducing trial lots of an 
entirely novel hopper mechanism, which we think promises 
favorably, though which is not yet so fully tested as to become 
the standard equipment. While of the prevailing circular type, 
the bobbin tips are not held by springs, but the bobbin bases 
rather contact with coiled, spring-actuated pressing devices, on 
the theory that bobbins so held may be inserted with greater 
ease and held in greater security. The threading of the bob- 



74 



Our first 
Large Hopper. 
Holds twenty- 
five extra bob- 
bins. Is rotated 
by reverse action 
of transferrer. 




Second pattern 
Large Hopper. 
New end hold- 
ers adapted for 
either bobbins or 
cop skewers. Also 
new bobbin sup- 
port, and thread 
discs ' with wider 
surfaces for thread 
to bear against. 



IS 



bins around the circles or discs, is easier, in that the threads 
lead naturally over a smooth bobbin tip disc, instead of having 
to be placed accurately at this point. Another novelty consists 
in the devices governing the bobbin on its way to the shuttle. 
We get entirely rid of the old rocking guide, which often gave 
trouble through catching and breaking. By turning a loom with 
the new hopper over by hand, and inserting a bobbin, it is at 
once noticed that the transfer occurs with far greater ease. With 
this hopper, we also apply an entirely new design of rotating 
mechanism, arranged so that wear will not cause back-lash. The 
stud on which the threads are wound is removable by hand for 
cleaning, the former bolt being cast solid in the end of a hand 
wrench, needing no extra wrench for operation. The transferrer 
is somewhat modified in construction. Several of the new fea- 
tures have already been tested on our regular pattern hopper. 




NEW STYLE HOPPER. 



76 



f<f 





DOUBLE FORK AND FEELER COMBI- 
NATIONS. 

Perfect cloth must be uniform in character, and secure from 
gaps and blemishes. Of course, absolute perfection is impos- 
sible, and various degrees of perfection are accepted in various 
classes of goods. We have tens of thousands of looms running, 
making commercially satisfactory goods w^ith our common single 
fork loom ; but in recognition of the necessity for better goods 
for other purposes, yve supply different combinations as now 
specified. 

Starting with the most elaborate and complex combination, 
we show our Feeler, Double Fork, and Feeler Thread-Cutter, in 
connection with the parts operating the transfer of filling from 
the hopper. The Feeler Thread-Cutter is always present with 
the Feeler, but the Double Fork is not a necessity. 



77 



Our feeler looms are all made so that they will allow the 
making of goods w^ithout mispicks by supplying filling just be- 
fore exhaustion, stopping the loom for a break in the filling to 
allow the weaver to then match the pick, or they may be set to 
change the filling when it breaks and run the chance of a mis- 
pick at such times. With the mechanism above illustrated, the 
change for either purpose is possible through the moving of one 
piece of mechanism. When the feeler is used with the single 
fork, it might allow a slight thin place when the filling is 
changed on breakage of filling, so we use the double fork w^hen 
the goods seem to deinand extra care in the preventing of thin 
places. 

The Feeler Thread-Cutter is a necessary evil, but we reduce 
its complication so far as possible by making it a part of our 
shuttle position detecting device. It may not be quite plain to 
all why an extra thread-cutter is necessary with a feeler mechan- 
ism, but on reflection it will be seen that a shuttle which ejects 
its bobbin before the filling is entirely vs^oven, still carries the 
thread of that bobbin, and this thread must be cut or the shuttle 
may carry this same thread back into the cloth. The temple 
thread-cutter cannot take care of this special thread, since it is 
not in proper position. Were the temple thread-cutter set to 
engage this thread, it would also cut the running thread at every 
other pick. We have recently improved this feeler thread- 
cutter, by slight modifications which would not show in the illus- 
tration, but which do, however, greatly multiply its efficiency. 

The Double Fork is very commonly used on our looms 
without the feeler, because the double fork not only affords a 
double protection against disorder, but it also has a double chance 
to control the take-up and prevent the slightest crack or thin 
place. The filling, of course, may break either going from or 
going to the hopper side of the loom. It may therefore call for a 
change of filling after having missed filling one shade, one shade 



78 



and a fraction, two shades, two shades and a fraction, or three 
full shades. One fork cannot possibly detect these variations. 

We have greatly simplified the double fork construction 
since our earlier use. It is practically "fool-proof" at pi"esent, 
its only disadvantage being in the requiring of two inches extra 
width in the loom to weave the same width in the cloth. 

The Feeler is intended for application with 2-shade goods 
where bunches from the end of filling are objectionable, but 
if sufficient care is taken with spinning, it ought not to be a 
necessity for the average run of fine goods. Many of our cus- 
tomers have ordered feelers on orders of looms for goods for 
which they thought them necessary, and afterward found the 
goods could be perfectly satisfactory "without them. Feelers are 
often thought an essential on twills and drills, but the peculiar 
action of the single fork on 3-harness goods puts the new filling 
into the proper shed the majority of the time ; in fact, quite as 
often as it is usually accomplished on common looms by average 
weavers. With the feeler, we can produce results impossible 
for a so-called "pick-matcher," which operates to hide the defect 
of an empty, or partially empty shed, by putting an extra thread 
into the same shed. 

The feeler shown in the illustration is but one of several 
forms which we supply. We are aiming to reduce the amount 
of waste yarn on ejected bobbins so far as possible, and are cer- 
tainly making marked progress in this line. To secure the best 
results from feelers, it is necessary to change the traverse motion 
on the spinning frame to wind a preliminary short traverse, or 
"bunch," as it is sometimes called, to thereby limit the amount 
of waste. The feeler is peculiarly adaptable to napped goods, 
where absence of filling shows very plainly. It is interesting to 
note that the British Patent Office has granted priority to our 
foundation feeler patent, recognizing it as the first effective 
device of its class. 



79 



BOBBINS. 

It may not be generally known that we are now fully 
equipped to manufacture bobbins for our Northrop looms ; in 
fact, have furnished them to the trade in large quantities for sev- 
eral months. The bobbins used with our looms are patented 
articles, and have always been sold directly by us to our custom- 
ers, although manufactured for us elsewhere. We believe it 
better for our customers and ourselves to control the manufac- 
ture of this product so as to ensure more prompt filling of 
orders, and have personal knowledge of the difficulties which 
arise in meeting the conditions. We anticipated this course sev- 
eral years ago by buying large orders of bobbin blanks, so that 
we could have them properly seasoned in advance. We next 
decided to experiment in the line of using new and improved 
tools for the accurate cutting of the wood into shape, and we be- 
lieve that our present plant is absolutely original in the methods 
employed. Most of the machinery has been built, or built over, 
in our own works. We intend to establish the highest possible 
reputation for these products, and shall spare no expense to ar- 
rive at this end. Poor bobbins make spindles vibi'ate, consume 
power, weaken the yarn spun and rise up on the spindles. Bob- 
bins can not be made too well. We have arranged our season- 
ing so as to always have plenty of proper stock ahead of the ma- 
chines. The illustration shows a few styles of bobbins now 
being manufactured, picked out at random from orders going 
through the department. 

We have many additional contours to suit the wishes of 
customers, but those shown are approved by use. 



8o 




■■HMMl L. 



a 




No. I represents a common form of short bobbin. 

No. 2 shows a longer bobbin with cylindrical base. 

No. 3 shows a yet longer pattern with 3 rings. 

Nos. 4 and 5 show different lengths and patterns of 3 ring 
bobbins, cylindrical base, for feeler looms. 

We find 3 rings necessary on feeler bobbins to ensure a 
firm grip on the bobbin in the shuttle, which has to meet the con- 
tact of the feeler. Many of our customers are willing to pay the 
extra expense, $1.50 per 1000, of having 3 rings on all bobbins. 

Our bobbins and cop skewers are made in four lengths. 

1. 6 3-4 inches long for traverse of 5 1-2 inches. 

2. 7 3-8 " " " " " 6 1-8 '^ 

3. 8 " " " " " 6 3-4 " 

4. 8 3-4 " " " " " 7 1-4 " 

The exteriors shown in the cuts are used on all four lengths. 



8i 



.^ 



SHUTTLES. 

Our shuttles are usually 
desired in either of the two 
forms shown. That at the 
left is the older style with 
"Stimpson" eye. That at 
the right has the "Jonas 
Northrop" eye and is our 
regular recommendation. 
We use the same spring and 
cover with each. 

The Stimpson eye shut- 
tle happens to show a 4 
notch spring. We make 
either shuttle with either 3 
or 4 notches as desired. 

We have special shuttles 
for special uses and when 
looms are ordered for such 
uses we select the shuttles 
to conform. 



82 




COP SKEWERS. 

In the course of our loom experiments, 
we keep accurate records of actual happen- 
ings, and very possibly determine compara- 
tive values in a way not often attempted in 
outside practice. We wish to give our cus- 
tomers the benefit of any knowledge thus 
obtained, and therefore call attention to a 
style of cop skewer which w^e have been 
using recently with excellent results. The 
cut on the left shows the skewer of ordinary 
form and the one on the right the skewer to 
which we have reference. The difference 
consists in the peculiar wavy line on the ex- 
terior of the spindle. We do not claim that ^^ 
this shape is novel, as many mills use sim- ^^^^P 
ilar forms. "VVe find that the cop waste on the new pattern is 
less than one-quarter of that with the regular skewer. We have 
to pay a slight advance for this extra process, but shall not make 
any difference in the price charged to customers. We have also 
improved our skewers by adding a flat band to the head below 
the rings to prolong wear. 



Referring to another associate improvement we might 
mention that our cop hopper now has a neat device which pre- 
vents the rotation of the lower cop skewer in the hopper — a 
fault which sometimes causes the thread to wind around the 
skewer and break vs^hen the transfer of filling is made. 



83 




LATEST FORM OF THREAD-CUTTING TEMPLE. 
NUMBER 133. 



The cut shows our hump-cap style made with solid heel so 
that a loose heel will not bring extra strain on the cutter and 
cause the temple to be reciprocated through the cutter. It has 
extra capacity to retract so as to weave in a shuttle in front with- 
out damage. 

We apply cutters to various forms of temple for special 
uses, adapting the pattern to the goods woven. 



84 




DETAIL OF LACEY TOP-RIG ON D MODEL. 



We use this motion wi 
Cvit also shows our worm gear 
cation. 



th both cotton and steel harness, 
take-up with the let-back modifi- 



85 



WARP STOP-MOTION. 

Starting with a steel heddle mechanism for Print weaving 
we have branched out to inckide various types as here detailed. 
We are illustrating the present construction in each case showing 
certain novel attachments for the first time. All of our stopping 
mechanism operates from a cam on the lower shaft through a 
lever controlling the shipper. All of them include the use of 
serrated vibrating bars to engage dropped heddles or drops. The 
illustrations disclose the spring lock adjustment on the double 
steel harness jacks, the feeler-bar agitator to assist in finding the 
broken thread on the single-thread stop-motions and the new 
slack-thread controller for same in which a foot pedal throws 
the stopping devices out of operation temporarily to allow a 
slack thread to weave in, as it often will. 

Our customers have by no means decided which class of 
stop-motion is superior. We have changed hundreds of looms 
from twine harness to steel harness and hundreds from steel har- 
ness to twine on exactlv similar goods. The setting of the loom 
has so much to do with results, the heddles, or drops are often 
held liable for results over which they exert no control. 

As seen on the next page our two shade steel harness mo- 
tion has the heddles in each harness strung on two bars to allow 
greater freedom for knots to pass through. When using steel 
harness for thj-ee to five shades we employ the Lacey top or a 
spring governed top-motion as preferred. The double thread 
drops are used with an early type of stop-motion which is still 
preferred by many of our best customers. For some weaves a 
drop can act for more than two threads. In this cut is shown 
our release motion to prevent damage to the drop wires under 
repeated action of the feeler bar. 



S6 




DOUBLE STEEL HARNESS. 




MULTIPLE STEEL HARNESS. 



^1 




I I ^ 




DOUBLE THREAD DROPS. 




LEASING DROP WIRES. 




LIGHT PATTERN DROPS. 



CUT-MOTION. 



Although it might have been simpler to stick to standard 
designs in this line, copying from well known mechanisms, we 
have, as a matter of fact, given as much time to the Cut-Motion 
of the loom as any other separate feature. We started with a 
conventional pattern, but on finding that many of our customers 
desired to weave large rolls of cloth, we tried to design an 
arrangement v\^hich would wind any size roll desired up to i8 
inches in diameter. We saw that the High-Roll arrangement of 
cut-motion seemed to offer marked advantages in this line, 
although the High-Roll had never gone into noticeable use in 
this country and was open to many objections in the forms com- 
monly known abroad. Mr. Northrop devised our present stand- 
ard construction with the exception of quite recent changes. 
We furnish low-roll take-ups when desired. 



89 




@i^^-'M^ 



^■ 



As will be noted in the cross-section of a Northrop loom, as 
shown in the cut, we have recently made a material modifica- 
tion in our Cut-Motion, in order to cover various requirements 
of weaving, it being found desirable in certain instances to have 
a greater length of cloth from the reed to the take-up roll than 
our former high-roll arrangement allowed. The lower cuts 
show two methods other than that in the cut above by which 
the cloth can be led to the roll. 



90 




BARTLETT LET-OFF. 

The Bartlett was our standard until the Draper-Roper let- 
off appeared. We owned the original Snell and Bartlett patent 
and sold over 50,000 of them for use on old and new looms be- 
fore 1S70. 




DRAPnR-ROPBR LBT-OFF. 



All let-off motions which are governed by the tension of the 
warp are manifestly affected in their action if the work of oper- 
ating the letting-off devices increases. As the yarn weaves off 
the beam, and the diameter of the yarn circle on the beam 
grows less, the Bartlett and other let-offs of its class operate 
their controlling mechanism through less leverage, thereby 
bringing greater strain and counteracting the tension of the warp 
to just the extent of the increase. This requires a tighter warp 
to produce the same effect, and the extra tension on the warp 
narrows the cloth woven. The only way of counteracting this 
evil is to lessen the friction on the let-off, and for very accurate 
results the friction should be carefully adjusted at several periods 
during the weaving out of a beam. In attempting to perfect 



92 



let-o££ mechanism we have aimed to produce a device that should 
be fully automatic, using an even amount of strain by gradually 
changing the leverage as the let-off devices received greater mo- 
tion. We therefore incorporated a follow^er or pressing-arm 
resting against the yarn on the beam and changing its position 
as the yarn circle varied. Change of position of this presser 
changed the fulcrum of the lever operating the let-off pawl, and 
practical tests have shown that we can weave with even tension, 
other conditions remaining the same. The let-off, of course, 
does not govern all conditions affecting width of cloth as this 
may be vained somewhat by the amount of moisture in the fill- 
ing, the set of the pick, etc. By obviating the main difficulty, 

however, we Certainly produce much more uniform 
cloth than with any other competing device. 

We have profited by experiments with different gearing 
and have lately perfected the detail by providing an outside 
bearing and also by furnishing an ingenious hand-operated clutch 
by which the beam can be easily released for tui'ning backwards 
or forward. We make no extra royalty charge for use of this 
let-off on our own loom, and do not apply it to looms of other 
make. 



"The mill contains, at present, 25,000 ring spindles and 800 Northrop 
looms. All the cloth manufactured is for export, and consists of two 
kinds only, namely; China drills and sheetings or shirtings. Drills 
are 30 inches wide, weigh 3 yards to the pound, and have 68 ends and 48 
picks to the incli. The sheetings are 36 inches wide, are of the same 
weight as the drills, and have 48 ends and 48 picks to the inch. In both 
cases the yarns are 13.65s twist and 13.80s weft, tlie cuts are 120 yards 
long, and tlie piece rate for weaving is 13 cents a cut. The rate for 
weaving similar drills in Maine, I had found but a few days before, to 
be 58 1-2 cents for 120 yards, and tliat was less than the Lancashire rate. 
Here, the cheapness of the Southern labor and the use of the Northrop 
loom has enalDled the superintendent to under cut the Maine weaving- 
price by 75 per cent. One man who was running 24 looms told me that 
he could earn $1.35 per day; two other men were also running 24 looms 
each, and said they could make $1.50, . . . the tackier s tend 100 
looms each." — \_C'Orrespondent of Blandiester Guardian. 



93 



OUR COMMON LOOM. 

We have at times filled several orders for common looms 
for parties who were not fully decided as to whether our mech- 
anisms were applicable to their special kind of goods, with the 
idea that when we should have the necessary devices they could 
be attached to the looms. At the present time, however, our 
range of weaving is so broad that we rarely find a case \vhere 
the common loom could be advised, and we foresee little future 
chance for their introduction. 

Owing to our expensive experimenting and disregard for 
cost, we probably make the best common loom now in the 
market. Our common loom is simply our Northrop loom with 
the hopper and warp stop-motion left off and a slight change at 
the fork. With our make of loom it is, of course, guaranteed 
that our devices can be easily applied, while this is not always 
true of looms made by other builders. 

We have given fully as much attention in late years to per- 
fecting the conventional loom parts as we have to the betterment 
of our own additional devices. The common loom which we 
should furnish would, therefore, have all of our latest improve- 
ments in the line of let-off , take vip, etc. 

While we prefer to sell complete looms, we can apply our 
devices to certain models of old looms of others' manufacture. 
Such changing over is especially advisable where the common 
loom is too valuable to be discarded, as in the case of broad 
looms, dobby looms, etc. We have changed over several thou- 
sand common looms with good; results and have a special depart- 
ment for that work. 



94 



LOOM CONSTRUCTION. 

In the early grouping of looms into twos, fours or other even 
numerals, it was found convenient to make them in rights and 
lefts, to save the weaver from taking extra steps in order 
to operate the necessary mechanisms. When we stretch a 
weaver over i6 to 34 looms, there is no possible advantage in 
having the looms of different hand. A mill can therefore bviy 
our Northrop looms all made of one hand in every particu- 
lar, if desired ; in fact, we have filled one mill with looms of 
that description. If the looms are to go into an old mill where 
the pulleys and belt holes are already in position, it is often ad- 
visable to have a compromise in which the pulleys are placed on 
either side of the loom to^accommodate the belts ; but the belt is 
shifted from the left hand side of the loom no matter hOTT 
the pulleys are placed. We have called such looms one- 
hand in former literature, which was not strictly accurate. We 
can see no reason why new mills should not have their looms 
exactly alike, avoiding all possible complication in repair 
parts. 

It is well known that with the common looms as made for 
the trade in rights and lefts, there are many attending disad- 
vantages. The patterns for one hand do not usually fit so well 
as those of the other, and the looms of one hand do not run so 
well as their opposites. The operative is forced to become am- 
bidextrous, using either hand altei-natively for effecting the 
same purpose. More skill is therefore required from the oper- 
ative ; in fact, it has often been proved that green help leai-n to 
operate Northrop looms much quicker than they could learn on 
common looms and this may be due, in part, to our one-hand 
system. 



95 




MILLING LOOM FRAMES. 



The castings which are assembled into ordinary machinery, 
are a foundry product, and necessarily vary more or less in many 
impoi'tant details. Difference in the heat of the melted metal, 
and variation in the rapidity of flov^, and strains of cooling, are 
bound to Vt^arp and twist the finished product more or less, in 
spite of care. If we add to these reasons the differences intro- 



96 



cluced by old toundry practice, in band made molds with uni- 
form patterns, the errors are necessarily multiplied. Our own 
foundiy is equipped with the very best molding machines ; in 
fact, they represent improvements designed in our own shops, 
and incorporated in trade machines through special arrange- 
ment. Our castings have won praise wherever they have gone, 
as we take particular pains in the selection and combination of 
different grades of iron to secure uniformity, and the very best 
possible results both in finish and adaptability to tool work. 
They are as good, if not better, than any made elsewhere, but 
still, they are not good enough. 

Following the general American custom, we have built our 
looms for years by assembling the frame from the foundry 
castings, without machining either the sides or girts. In our 
aim to perfect our loom frame beyond the general practice of 
loom builders, we have recently introduced a full line of modern 
machine tools, especially designed for our own loom products. 
Each loom that we now send out has the sides carefully milled 
where other parts are attached, and the connecting girts are also 
milled to absolute imiformity in length. The cut shows one of 
our loom-side milling machines in operation. There are so 
many places to be cut that a considerable variety of motions is 
necessary. The machine for milling the girt ends is naturally 
more simple in detail. Our looms now approach a uniform 
standard of size and position of parts, and we expect that they 
will operate with uniformity and precision. Repair parts will 
naturally fit closer, and the whole machine has been raised into 

a higher class by starting with a machined frame. 

We do not expect that builders of common looms will 
follow this practice ; in fact, we would not advise them to do so. 
Any money spent in the further perfection of the common loom 
is practically wasted, for the present common loom is good 
enough for the few years of use ahead of it. 



97 





FIG. 



THE BOLTON LOOM-SEAT. 



This novel attachment can be appHed to any of our looms 
and is now sent out with all orders, one to each eight looms. It 
provides a seat for the operative that is normally held out of the 
way by a spring. 

Fig. I shows the seat as held down by the weaver's weight. 
Fig. 2 shows it returned to position under control of its spring. 

Mr. T. H. Rennie, Superintendent of the Graniteville Mfg. 
Co., wrote us he considered these seats an '■'■Indispetisable adjunct 
to a well-regulated weave-roofti." 



"An overseer recently called attention to a ISTorthrop loom weaver, 
saying : — 'You see that woman ! She has gained 40 pounds since going 
on those looms and her last winter's clothes won't fit her.' Investiga- 
tion showed that she formerly ran four common looms (No. 4s filling, 
17 warp) and now ran twelve Northrop on the same goods. She was 
making better wages with less work, though ascribing some of the bet- 
terment in health to relief from sucking filling.'' — \_Gotton Chats, Feb., '04. 



98 




THE KEENE DRAWING-IN FRAME. 

We are introducing a drawing-in fi-.ame with attachments, 
especially designed for holding the warp, drop wire detectors, 
harness, and reed in a ne'w and convenient manner, to assist the 
operative in drawing in a large number of v^^arp ends in a given 
time. There has been some objection to the use of warp stop- 
motions in that they caused extra expense for drawing-in ; but 
this defect is largely obviated by this present invention. Its 
parts are adjustable, and have a range so that they are applicable 
to all our various forms of warp stop-motions. 



99 



SULLIVAN'S PATENT SHUTTLE GUARD. 



These Shuttle Guards are made of 
;the best quality coppered ^^dre, five- 
sixteenths of an inch in diameter, and 
are long enough to reach the entire 
length of the hand-rail. An eye is 
formed in each end, and these eyes fit 
over the bolts vs^hich attach the hand- 
rail to the sw^ords. No other fastening 
is required, except for ceilain widths 
of looms, when a center support is 
added. The guard fits closely to the 
hand-rail for about three inches at each 
end and is then bent to hang over the 
race in any position desired. 

This form of construction and at- 
tachment makes the most siinple and 
durable shuttle-guard that has thus far 
been introduced. 

The hand-rail is not cut or dam- 
aged in any way in making the attach- 
ment, nor are there any bolts, screws, 
or other fastening, such as have to be 
used with other guards, to work loose 
and annoy and hinder the weavers. 
There are no bolt ends projecting back 
of hand-rail to tear the harness. This 
gviard can be applied for repairs where 
(it would otherwise be necessary to re- 
'new the hand-rail, at less than half the 
cost of making and fitting a new hand-rail. There are thou- 
sands of them in use. 

^. OF Co 




lOO 




THE IMPROVED DURKIN THIN PLACE PREVENTER. 

We applied thousands of these attachments to the old com- 
mon looms before entering the loom field. Those who ^vish to 
get the best results out of their old looms when "weaving light 
goods can use them to great advantage. They lessen thin and 
thick places, lessen the results of shuttle smashes, lessen warp 
breakage and increase production. We recommend them to 
purchasers of our Northrop Looms who intend to weave light 
goods on them. Every improvement that tends to lessen the 
breakage of warp threads is of high importance when endeavor- 
ing to increase the number of looms per operative. A slight 
extra cost at the start may pay for itself many times and not 
always receive due credit for the performance. 

The construction consists of a pair of arms fastened to the 
usual bar across the loom which supports or forms the whip 
roll, and a roller held at its ends by the sliding bearings, noted 
in the cut by the open hole for the journal. Where Bartlett let- 
offs are in use the regular roll may be used without necessity for 
an additional warp roller. 

In our first patterns there w^as difficulty at times in adjusting 
the tension of the spring to allow definite control of the move- 
ment of the whip roll. We have now overcome this trouble 
by using uniform spring tension and governing the movement by 
adjustable stops as shown. We make patterns to fit different 
styles of looms. 





This diagram shows the space taken by an E model 
Northrop Loom. 

Distance A is width with a full roll of cloth on low-roll 
take-up and i8 inch warp beam = 45 inches. 

B-width with full roll of cloth on low-roll take-up and 20 
inch warp beam = 48 inches. 

C- width with full roll of cloth on high roll take-up and 18 
inch warp beam =47 3^ inches. 

D-width with full roll of cloth on high roll take-up and 20 
inch warp beam ^ 50^^ inches. 

E-width of lay on 28 inch single fork loom = 'jS^ inches 
with 8 inch bobbin. Add two inches for every inch in name of 
loom. Thus 40 inch loom is 24 inches wider than 28 inch. 

On many goods the cloth is never made into full rolls as 
shown on high-roll limit. 



SPECIFICATIONS OF NORTHROP 
LOOMS 

Ordered From Draper Company, Hopedale, Mass. 



Make out separate specifications for each style and size of loom. 



For Date ordered 1 90 

Address 

Number Size Model 

Right-Hand Belt from Above Left-Hand Belt from Above 

Right-Hand Belt from Below Left-Hand Belt from Below- 
Kind of Cloth to be woven Width Sley 

Number of Picks per inch Number of threads in Warp 

Note : — We furnish one pick gear with each loom. 

Number of Warp Yarn Number of Filling Yarn 

Shall looms duplicate others in the mill? 

If so, give date of previous order 

Is filling on Bobbins or Cops? Total length of Bobbin or Cops 

Note : — It is necessary to send several sample cops with mule 
spindle, or bobbin and spindle. Our regular sizes of 
bobbins take 5 1-2 inch traverse on a bobbin 6 3-4 
inches long; 6 i-S inches on a bobbin 7 3"S inches 
long ; 6 3-4 inches traverse on a bobbin 8 inches 
long and 71-3 inches traverse on a bobbin 8 3-4 inches 
long. Our regular cop sizes are 5 1-2, 6 1-8 and 6 3-4 
Traverse. Bobbins are patented, and must be ordered 
through us. At least 200 per loom should be pro- 



I03 



vided. When cops are used we send 30 skewers with 
each loom for large battery; 30 skewers with each 
loom for small battery. These are charged extra. 

Shall we make Bobbm or Cop Heads Standard Butt? 

Give largest diameter of full filling Bobbin or Cop measured on 

the Yarn 

Large or Small Battery? Diameter of Spinning Ring? 

Note : — Large Battery takes 35 bobbins or cops. Small bat- 
tery takes 15 bobbins or cops. 

What style of Take-up? 

Note : — Our "High Roll" construction admits of winding any 

diameter Cloth Roll up to 17 inches. Embodied 

with this we have three separate styles of Take-up. 

Our regular pattern takes up with every pick and lets 

back to prevent thin places. 
Our Worm Take-up without the let-back feature, is a 
positive take-up, and is especially designed for cor- 
duroys, velvets and similar fabrics, which require 
300 picks per inch and above. 
Our Worm Take-up with let-back is designed for those 
who require a positive take-up and still desire the 
let-back feature. 

What style of Let-off? 

Note : — We furnish Roper, Bartlett, Friction, Roper and Fric- 
tion, or Bartlett and Friction comV)ined. 
On "L" Model looms we furnish Compound Let-off 
and Compound with friction ; on Corduroy looms 
we furnish a special let-off. 
If friction Let-off shall we order Chain, Fibre, or Rope 

Friction? : 

What Whip Roll Combination? 

Note : — Drag Rolls are used only for veiy heavy weaves ; heavy 
denims and goods of this character. 



I04 



We recommend for most cloths Plain Pipe Whip Rolls ; 
for heavy w^eaves, not taking Drag Rolls, Vibrat- 
ing Whip Rolls ; for very light weaves, Durkin 
Thick and Thin Place Preventors. Unless Vi- 
brating Whip Rolls, Thick and Thin Place Pre- 
ventors or Drag Rolls are specified, we shall fur-, 
nish with Plain Pipe Roll. 

Will you have Feeler? 

Will you have Single or Double Fork? 

Note : — Double Fork Looms measure 2 inches more between 
loom sides than single fork. 

Is filling for these looms to be made on new or old frames? 

If new frames, call for Bunch Builders on specification 
for spinning frames and specify ho'w many you want 

equipped 

If old frames give maker of frames and how many Bunch 

Builders are wanted 

Note : — When feeler is used an attachment on spinning frames, 
called the Bunch Builder, is required to wind 
bunch of yarn on bobbin. 

What style Warp Stop-Motion is required? 

Note : — We have three styles : 

Steel harness using one steel heddle for every warp 

thread, adapted for 2-3-4 ^^'^ 5 harness work. 
Drop-wire Stop-motion for cotton harness, which re- 
quires one drop wire for every two warp threads in 
a two-harness loom adapted for 2-3-4 ^^^^ 5 
harness work. 
Single Thread Lease-rod Stop-motion for cotton har- 
ness, using one drop wire for every warp thread. 
This stop-motion is adapted for any number of 
hai-nesses from 2 up. 
Drop-wires and Heddles are extras and should be 



I05 



ordered in sufficient quantities for extra drawing- 
in sets. It is well to order about 20 per cent, 
more drop-wires or heddles than the looms figure 
for this purpose. 

How many Steel Heddles or Drop Wires? 

How many looms arranged for 3 Harnesses? 

How many looms arranged for 3 Harnesses? How 

many up? How many down? 

How many looms arranged for 4 Harnesses? How 

many up? How many down? 

How many looms arranged for 5 Harnesses? How 

many up? How many down? 

What style Harness Motion? 

Note :— We furnish the Roll and Shaft Top Harness-motion or 
the Lacey Top. 
We adapt our looms to take the Crompton & Knowles 

Dobby. 
We also furnish Special Side Cam Motion for Cordu- 
roys. 

Are- Cams on Cam Shaft or Auxiliary Shaft?.... 

If auxiliary Shaft, shall we send gears to run 2-3-4-5 shade? 

Single or Double Jack Hooks? 

(Not used with Steel Harness.) 

On what No. of Harnesses shall we set up looms? How 

many up? How many down? 

Shall we supply Dobby? How many harnesses? 

What style? - 

Shall we supply Single or Double Spring Jack or Direct 

Springs? 

Is Independent Selvage Motion required? 

Plain or Tape ? 

What diameter and Face of Driving Pulley? What 

width of Belt? 



io6 



Tight and Loose oi" Friction Pulley? 

Note : — Regular size 12 inches diameter, 2 1-4 inches face, for 
28 inch loom. 14 inches diameter, 21-4 inches 
face, for 40 inch loom. We strongly recommend 
this width of face, as "wider pulleys are much more 
troublesome in shifting belts. 
For 21-2 inch belts and wider, we recommend friction 
pulleys. 

We furnish 16 ^-8 inch, 18 inch and 20 inch Beam Heads. 
Which do you require? ' 

Note : — When 20 inch heads are used looms measure 3 inches 
more in depth. Heads for our broad sheeting 
looms, are in all cases 16 inches. 

Distance between Heads? 

Note : — For proper width between Beam Heads, we recom- 
mend 4 inches more than size of loom. For those 
desiring extra space we svipply Beams 51-2 inches 
wider than the size of the loom. 

We furnish 5 inch and 6 inch diameter Yarn Beams. Which 
do you require? 

Note : — We recommend 6 inch barrel for 20 inch Beam Heads, 
also with smaller heads if fine yarn. 

How many extra Shuttles? (Only one per loom in- 
cluded without extra cost.) 

What style Temple will you have, i 3-4 or 2 1-2 Roll? 

How many Bobbins shall we order for you? Style 

Oil soaked _ 

Note : — Send sample spindle to fit Bobbins to. 

For what number of picks shall we set up looms? 

Will you have Bolton Loom Seats? (One to each 

eight looms — no charge.) 

Note : — Send us one complete reed such as you intend using on 
these looms. On order for 25 to 100 looms, 2 



io7 



reeds, over this amount, 3. As the contraction on 
our High Roll Take-Up is considerably less on 
several classes of weaves than on other looms, it 
would be well to write us before ordering new 
reeds. The maximum reed space is 5 inches 
wider than the size of the loom. 
Pickers must be of short pattern not projecting above 

shuttle box. 
We furnish sample sets of strapping and pickers with- 
out extra charge. 
On Side Cam looms send us copy of Chain Draft. 

By what lines shall we ship? - 

Remarks - 



We find that several users of Northrop looms are buying 
wooden shuttle blanks cut to receive Northrop shuttle parts, 
from outside sources, taking parts from Northrop shuttles in 
which the wood is worn out to put in them. We call attention 
to the fact that we ourselves sell shuttle blanks cut to receive our 
parts, and charge a low price for the same, our regular charge for 
the ordinary Persimmon wooden blank being 25 cents each. We 
cannot see how anyone can afford to sell them for less and furnish 
a good article. There is not sufficient profit to ourselves in this 
price to make us very eager for the trade, but we do like to have 
our looms give good results, and we frankly do not believe that 
shuttle blanks made by other parties will hold our shuttle parts 
so uniformly in proper position as our own. If the bobbms m 
a Northrop shuttle are not centrally held they will break more 
filling. This might not be detected unless a careful comparison 
were made. 



io8 



SOUTHERN SUPPLY OFFICE. 

We have recently enlarged our Southern Supply depart- 
ment, consolidating our Southern office in the same building at 
40 South Forsyth St., Atlanta, Ga. The Southern Supply De- 
partment was more or less of an experiment at the start, but has 
proved a great convenience to our customers. We intend to 
keep a full line of loom parts on hand, which can be furnished 
promptly to our customers, and by shipping from a point nearer 
to the Southern mill, we save them freight charges. There is a 
point, of course, at which shipments from the North are more 
advantageous, but our Southern Supply office handles the 
greater part of the business from the Carolinas down. 

Since establishing this department, we have succeeded in 
converting many of our customers from the old habit of getting 
local castings for repairs. This use of crudely made parts on 
our machinery is distinctly disadvantageous to the user, and we, 
of course, can accept no responsibility for the proper running of 
our machinery, if parts are used which do not conform accurate- 
ly to our own patterns. Where one of our parts is used as a 
pattern by which to get castings the new parts are necessarily 
imperfect on account of the shrink of the metal in the mould. 
We intend to keep our prices for supply parts so moderate that 
there is no profit to anyone in using substitutes, especially when 
the question of adaptability for the service intended is fitly con- 
sidered. 



"Green help learn to run Northrop looms with surprising quickness. 
A Southern example was heard from recently, who was given an 'acre 
of looms,' as he expressed it, about as soon as he set foot in the mill. 
When his first warp ran out he called to the fixer : 'Hey, mister, come 
here ! the string's all run off" that ar dam log.' " — [Cotton Chats, 
June, '05. 



I09 



A NEW METHOD OF FILLING HOP- 
PERS ON NORTHROP LOOMS. 

In the early days of our loom introduction, we were told by 
many mill officials that the records which we were making in 
our own experimental room would be easily beaten after the 
mills had taken the looms under their own charge. This we 
were perfectly willing to concede, and results have proved that 
those who use the looms will discover many latent possi- 
bilities. We found that one mill was adopting a method 
of filling hoppers in which the weavers took a whole hand- 
ful of bobbins from the filling box at one time, freeing the 
ends of filling from the bobbins with the other hand, winding 
off sufficient yarn, and then slipping all the bobbins into the 
hopper at one operation. This is made easy by the use of our 
latest hopper construction, having the new spring discs. Our 
investigator timed some of these weavers, and found they could 
put 24 bobbins into a hopper in a minute and a half to two 
minutes. The speed is facilitated, of course, by having the ends 
of fining left in proper position when doffing at the spinning 
frame. We estimate the time required to fill a hopper by the 
ordinary, single-bobbin method, at about three minutes. 

The practical advantages of the system were shown by the 
results being obtained. The weavers were all running 20 looms 
on ticking, with no help. With common looms on similar 
goods, they run from 4 to 6 looms in the same mill, paying 32 
cents per cut against 11 1-2 cents on the Northrop. The Nor- 
throp looms were also giving more production and better cloth, 
with less cost for repairs ; in fact, the entire repairs, including 
shuttles, were not costing over 3 cents per loom per week. 
The matter struck us as having sufficient importance so that we 



no 



not only advised all our customers carefully about the advantages 
of the system, but w^e have hired expert w^eavers vv^ho understand 
the system, to teach w^eavers in various mills how to utilize the 
new idea. VVe naturally find more or less opposition from those 
who are set in their w^ays, and we also have found that other 
mills have made improvements of their own over the common 
system, some of the substitute plans having considerable merit. 

A system which accustoms the weavers to placing several 
bobbins in the hopper at a time has another advantage, in that it 
uses up less of the w^eaver's energy in walking back and forth 
from loom to loom. Weavers are frequently seen putting bob- 
bins in hoppers when there are only one or two gone. They 
should economize their effort by learning to wait until a large 
number of bobbins can be put into the hopper all at once. This 
latter system will allow them to tend many more looms with no 
increase of effort. 

The fact that considerable time is taken by the weaver in 
finding the end of filling on the bobbin and unwinding the same 
has led to the suggestion that such ends could be vmwound by 
cheap help who would arrange bobbins conveniently in the fill- 
ing boxes before they \^^ere sent into the weave room. 



ARRANGBMBNT OF LOOMS. 

We have given considerable study to the problem of ar- 
ranging Northrop looms so that the weaver shall operate 
them with the least possible exertion. A great deal of a 
weaver's time and energy is taken in the moving from one 
loom to another. The usual weaver plans to get to every loom 
as it is stopped, so as to start it up as soon as possible, attending 



Ill 



to the duties of taking off cloth and putting bobbins in the hop- 
per while all the looms are running. The problem was figured 
by taking the average distance a weaver would be obliged to go, 
by adding the distances from each loom to every other loom, 
and dividing by the product of the number of looms, multiplied 
by the number of looms minus one. On the single-alley system, 
the average distance for i6 print looms figured 19.23 feet. On a 
double-alley system, 16 looms, the average distance figured 15.83 
feet, a saving of 17.7 per cent. With 34 looms the saving of 
the double-alley system is even greater, the average distance 
with single-alley being 29.52 and with double alley 21.19, or 
28.2 per cent, saving. With a single-alley system, the average 
distance between looms increases directly as the number of 
looms; but with the double-alley system, while the looms are 
increased 50 per cent., the average distance from loom to loom 
is increased something like 35 per cent., showing it is easier for 
a weaver to run a given number of additional looms than it is to 
run an equal number of original looms. The two-alley system 
also allows the weaver to move in a circular path while filling 
batteries, and thus to be always approaching the batteries which 
need attention the most; whereas, in the single-alley system, 
when the weaver reaches the end of an alley, the loom needing 
attention is at the other end. 

The problem was also considered in relation to arranging 24 
looms in three alleys, eight to the alley. The average distance 
is practically the same as with two alleys, but there are disadvan- 
tages in having three separate alleys to move around in. With 
more than 24 looms there might be advantages in the three-alley 
system, but so far as our present experience goes, we are not 
prepared to give a definite recommendation. We do unhesitat- 
ingly recommend the two-alley system between the limits of 1 2 
to 24 looms to the weaver unless the weavers' seat is used, when 
a long single-alley would be advisable. 



112 




WEAVERS' SEAT. 



While we have beheved foi" several years that we should 
ultimately see good weavers running 50 Northrop looms each, 
it is possible that such a feat will not be generally accomplished 
unless some way is found to relieve the weaver from the extra 
exercise taken in covering so much of space. The actual hand 
operations necessary in running 50 Northrop looms are not be- 
yond the capability of an expert weaver, if warps are well made 
and well sized. Neither are the operations of putting bobbins 
in hoppers, or di'awing in warp, necessarily fatiguing. The 
walking now necessary and fatiguing can be practically elimi- 
nated by use of the seat illustrated in the cut. We sell these 
at ten dollars each, and five cents per running foot for each 
rail. The alley should not be too narrow and the help should 
not be allowed to push against the hoppers. 



^13 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR RUNNING 
NORTHROP LOOMS, 

Our experience is by no means svifficient to absolutely settle 
all points of discussion. We learn more about the art of weav- 
ing every week, and consider the possibilities of further knowl- 
' edge and improvement practically exhaustless. Many volumes 
have already been written about the detail of plain weaving 
with common looms, so we shall limit these instructions to the 
new features introduced by the novel mechanisms on our own 
looms. 

While these new devices necessarily introduce new prob- 
lems, there is nothing very intricate about their operation. 
The fact that thousands have been running for years should give 
the Fixers self confidence. 



BATTERY (OR HOPPER) ADJUST- 
MENT. 

As the battery is thrown into operation either by the left- 
hand filling-fork or the filling-feeler according to the style of 
loom, in setting the battery it is necessary to begin with this 
fork or the feeler as the case may be. 

If we first consider a loom without filling-feeler the various 
steps in the adjustment of the battery would be as follows : 
First see that the filling-fork is set properly relative to the grate 
or grid. Then place the end of the filling-motion-finger against 
the filling-fork-slide and tighten the finger on the starting-rod by 
means of the set-screw provided. Next turn the loom, allowing 



114 



the fork to engage with the fiUing-motion-hook, until the latter 
has moved as far forward as it will. This will turn the starting- 
rod into operative position, and the shuttle will now be on the 
battery side of the loom, in position to receive a fresh bobbin. 
Now raise the feeler-finger, which extends from the starting-rod 
beneath the breast-beam, until the shuttle-feeler can swing for- 
ward against a stop provided for it, and tighten it on the start- 
ing-rod in this position. Be sure and set the feeler-finger high 
enough so that the pull of the starting-rod spring will not pre- 
vent the shuttle-feeler from bearing against its stop. The latch- 
depressor, which is attached to the shuttle-feeler, should now be 
set so that the latch on the hopper will be struck by the bunter 
on the front of the lay. Bring the lay forward to i\\Q front cen- 
ter, thus causing the bunter to strike the latch and drive the bob- 
bin into the shuttle. The shuttle should be in the center of the 
shuttle-box and when the tip of the shuttle is against the //^^«?r 
the shuttle-spring should be in line with the heads of the bob- 
bins in the hopper. It is usvially necessary to wrap a narrow 
piece of leather around the end of the lay to prevent the shuttle 
from going too far into the box, and on badly worn pickei's it is 
customary to place additional pieces of leather inside this loop 
as required. If, now, the shuttle is in proper position the 
transferrer which inserts the bobbin should not touch the 
shuttle anywhere, and should be, approximately, in the cen- 
ter of the shuttle. If this is not true the proper position may be 
secvired b}^ turning the eccentric pins, in the lay-swords, upon which 
the crank-arms work. In doing this be careftll to turn the 

pins in both swords an equal amount, so that the length 

of the crank-arms shall remain equal. If either crank-arm has be- 
come too short, fi-om wear, to allow of this adjustment, it should 
be replaced by a new one. If the head oi the transferrer comes 
in the center of the shuttle, but the transferrer-fork does not, the 
latter may be bent into place, but before doing this it is always 



115 



advisable to make sure that all adjustments have been properlv 
made. The head of the transferrer should not quite touch the 
head of the bobbin w^hen the former is at its lowest point, a 
clearance of not over 1-16 inch being desirable. This adjust- 
ment is obtained by means of the set-screiv and clamping-bolt 
on the latch. 

The shuttle-feeler will extend across the mouth of the shut- 
tle-box, when the lay is in forward position and a bobbin is be- 
ing transferred, and its end should come close to the back box- 
plate, but without touching it. If the shuttle is not in the box 
far enough to allow the shuttle-feeler to clear it, as the lay 
moves forward, the shuttle-feeler will be pushed back, and 
through the latch-depressor, the latch will be prevented from 
engaging with the bunter and a fresh bobbin will not be inserted 
in the shuttle. Thus the shuttle-feeler prevents the transfer of 
a bobbin from the hopper to the shuttle when the latter is not in 
the proper position to receive it, and it SllOVlld. be always 
kept properly adjusted. In the setting of this part a 
leeway of one notch in the shuttle-spring is allowed. That is, 
the bobbin transfer will take place when the shuttle-tip just 
clears the shuttle-feeler and does not push it back, and the lat- 
ter is so set that when this occurs the first ring on the bobbin 
will go into the second notch in the shuttle-spring. If, how- 
ever, the transfer is permitted by the shuttle-feeler, and the 
first bobbin-ring goes into the third notch in the spring, the shut- 
tle-feeler is not close enough to the hopper and the stand which 
carries it will probably require filing to overcome the trouble. 

The setting of the parts pertaining to the battery is slightly 
modified on feeler looms by the presence of the filling-feeler and 
the feeler thread- cutter, but many of the adjustments are not af- 
fected. 

The movement of the starting-rod, on feeler looms, is 
transmitted from the filling-cam follower through the feeler-slide 



ii6 



and starting-rod-arm, instead of the filling-fork-slide and filling 
motion-finger as first described. The filling-motion trip, on the 
upper end of the cam-follower, should be set so that the notch 
in it would be in line with the end of the feeler-slide when the 
latter has been put into operative position by the filling-feeler, 
and they should engage one another just as the lay reaches the 
front center. The starting- rod will then be turned, and the 
shuttle-feeler and latch will be positioned the same as on non- 
feeler looms. The shuttle-feeler, however, will be made in the 
form of a thread-cutter, and the bunter on the lay is of special 
construction as it not only engages the latch but also operates 
the thread-cutter. The only difference which this makes in the 
setting of the shuttle-feeler is, that care must be taken so that it 
will both cut the thread at the proper time and prevent bobbin 
transfer when the shuttle is not properly placed. This can be 
readily done by raising or lowering the thi*ead-cutter, or by 
slightly changing its angle to thrown it further forward or back, 
as necessary. 

A knowledge of the foregoing adjustments will be suffi- 
cient for any ordinary trouble not occasioned by breakage. The 
hopper, as a rule, gives very little trouble and requires scarcely 
any adjustment. 

The rotation of the hopper should always bring a bobbin 
into proper position. The bearings should be kept properly 
oiled, care being taken not to drip oil on the bobbins. If the 
weavers leave gaps between bobbins when filling the hopper, 
they may have trouble. They should not allow these gaps to 

occur, as it is perfectly easy to turn the hopper back 
and fill it properly. 



117 



SHUTTLES. 

The latest Northrop shuttle takes either bobbins or cops. 
It is shaped to prevent filling from throwing forward and escap- 
ing from the eye, or looping around the /wrn. 

The spring cover at the rear is inclhied so that if the shuttle is 
too far into the box, the bobbin, when striking the incline, can 
push the shuttle into place so that the bobbin can enter the 
spring properly. 

If the thread eritrances to the eye get jammed or closed they 
can be opened by knife blade, or other tool, but care should be 
taken not to open these entrances any wider than they were 
originally. 

If the eye becomes clogged with cotton or lint, it should be 
cleaned out. 

A small piece of flannel is placed at the throat of the 
shuttle for friction, which can be easily renewed. When coarse 
filling is used, it may be necessary to put bunches of slasher- 
waste, or bristles, through holes in the side of the shuttle, to 
make additional friction. These must be put in by the loom 
fixers, as we cannot send them out in this way, not knowing just 
what conditions arise in weaving. 

If the shuttle spring gets loose, it should be tightened up by 
turning the fastening screw. Shuttles should not be al- 
lowed to run with loose springs. We believe we have 
made considerable improvement in this direction by our latest 
spring and fastening. 

If trouble is found with cut filling, the wood near the shuttle 
eye may have become rough, and should be smoothed with fine 
sand paper, or emery. Any small slivers or sharp edges should 
be removed by the same means. 



ii8 



If warp threads should be broken out by the shuttle, it may 
be that the tips are blunt or rough, in which case the trouble 
may be remedied by polishing with emery cloth. 

Ovitside of the usual splintei'ing and slivering, generally 
caused by unfit wood, the actual breakage of shuttles on Nor- 
throp looms is probably due to the following causes : 

The shuttle may get pinched between the temple and the 
reed, in case the protector fails to act. Our recent models of 
temples are designed to pi^event breakage of the shuttle even if 
this happens, but of course, the fixer should follow up his work 

and see that the protectors are properly operative. 

Shuttles have been split by bobbin rings wedging between 
the spring grips, but this is of rare occurrence. We grind the 
ends of our springs now, so as to limit the chance of their press- 
ing against the shuttle sides. Of course, it is possible to break 
shuttles, if bobbins are cavight during transfer, or if certain 
parts of the loom are broken or inoperative. In spite of all the 
chances, our shuttles wear very well, considering that one shut- 
tle runs continuously, the wear not being divided between two 
shuttles, as in the common loom. 

We furnished all the shuttles used with our looms, until a 
few of our customers tried the experiment of buying wooden 
blanks for use with old parts from our shuttles, so have an actual 
record of their life, which runs over, rather than under, six 
months on the average. Remember that our shuttles run con- 
tinuously and undergo twice the wear in the same time as com- 
mon loom shuttles. Excessive wear is often due to sharp reeds. 

Shuttle wood is liable to curious variations, both from nat- 
ural and artificial causes. Sometimes the stock is too severely 
kiln-dried, taking all the life out of the wood so that it breaks 
like sealing wax. Shuttles are sometimes treated with hot solu- 
tions of wax or oil. This may improve the surface smoothness, 
but if not carefully followed up, may injure the stock. 



119 



Shuttles are shaped to run true and balance as well as pos- 
sible. With the weight continually changing and shifting, as 
the yarn weaves off, it is impossible to keep the center of 
gravity in a uniform position. The shuttle is also pulled out of 
place by the drag of the yarn, w^hich varies in tension as the 
bobbin or cop winds off. 

A perfect design would have the shuttle points on a line 
that v\^ould pass through the center of gravity, with the weight 
fairly well distributed on each side of the centre. 

Shuttles made for front-binder looms have a longer back, so 
that the pressure of the binder in its last contact will not change 
the direction of the shuttle. We made all our looms with back 
binders for years, but are now having very good success with 
front binders on certain models. 



MISTHREADING. 

By this is meant a failure of the shuttle to thread-up proper- 
ly after the insertion of a fresh bobbin, and for convenience we 
may classify these failures as rea/ and hopper-misthi^eads. A 
real misthread is one for which the shuttle-eye is responsible, 
the thread in this case breaking after the shuttle has gone once 
across the loom, and a hopper misthread is one due to breakage 
of the filling when the bobbin is being transferred from the hop- 
per to the shuttle. The real misthread is the much more serious 
of the two as it causes a mispick (or shuttle mark) in the cloth, 
and several real misthreads in succession will result in a defect 
which may necessitate cutting the cloth at that point. The 
usual cause of real misthreads is a damaged or clogged up 
shuttle-eye. 

The shuttle-eye may possibly get jammed or choked by lint 



I20 



SO that the thread cannot enter at all. If this happens, the fork 
will still be raised all right, for the thread ^vill draw over the top 
of the shuttle on its first flight. When the shuttle is picked back, 
however, the thread will be broken, calling for a new transfer of 
filling and making the above mentioned defect in the cloth, as 
the shuttle will continue to lay threads going from the hopper 
and will lay none on the return. In weaving two-shade goods 
this action puts several threads in one shade. It may continue 
this operation until all the bobbins have been transferred from 
the hopper when the loom will be stopped by the hopper mis- 
thread device. A hopper misthread causes no defect in the 
cloth, and, moreover, we now provide our looms with the device 
just mentioned, which w^ill stop the loom if two such misthreads 
occur in succession. This device will also stop the looin if for 
any reason the left-hand filling-fork-slide is moved forward three 
times in succession. It may be possible for the fixer or the 
weaver to intentionally disarrange this motion so as to prevent 
the looms from stopping, but this should not be allowed, as it 
might cause a bad thin place if the hopper became exhausted or 
any accident caused repeated misthreading. The fact that the 
loom is found stopped, even v\^hen there is not a warp break or 
slack thread, does not necessarily mean that the shuttle has been 
misthreading. It is possible that the shuttle-feeler may have pre- 
vented the shuttle from receivino: a bobbin twice in succession, 
because of the shuttle being out of its proper position and this 
would cause the loom to stop just the same as if hopper mis- 
threads had occurred twice running. If the loom is found 
stopped with an empty bobbin in the shuttle it is a sure sign that 
the shuttle-feeler has found the shuttle out of place, and this 

means that the shuttle Is not boxiiig properly. 

Men with inventive capacity often assume to improve on 
our shuttle eye, and we do not assume that impi^ovement is not 
possible where we have made so many changes ourselves. It is 



necessary, howevei", to recognize the requirements of the case, as 
a shuttle eye for universal use must be adapted not only for 
threading easily, but also prevent the filling from throwing ahead 
and getting out of the slot. It must also provide for easy pas- 
sage of bunches, be practically self cleaning, give a proper fric- 
tion, not vs^eaken the v^^ood materially, have sufficient vs^eight to 
balance the metal parts at the other end, be fitted in the wood so 
as not to catch warp or filling, and be designed for easy molding 
and machine work. As to the simple problem of threading 
shuttles, as far back as 1894 we could transfer over 1,000 bob- 
bins without a misthread. These records cannot be attained, 
however, without proper setting of the loom. We believe the 
boxing of the shuttle has more to do with this trouble than any- 
thing else, and recommend a light, easy pick with moderate 
pressure of the binder. We learned years ago that the amount 
of misthreading was affected by the moisture in the weave room. 
Yarn is strengthened by moisture and strong yarn will naturally 
break less under strain whether it is filling or warp. 



BREAKING OF FILLING. 



/ 



Every break in the filUng causes extra labor, as the weaver 
must put a bobbin in the hopper twice at least in order to have 
its supply of filling woven off, or if the loom has a feeler it will 
stop, and the weaver must match the pick and again start it, 
which causes a loss in production. Every bobbin ought to 
weave off clean, except on feeler looms, but a harsh pick may 
cause the filling to throw out oi the shuttle eye or loop around it. 
Sometimes the yarn wraps around the point of the bobbin or 
skewer while running off, and the filling sometimes catches on 
the picker or picker stick. Care should be taken to allow no 



122 



cracks, projections, or corners where the thread may catch when 
throwing out of the shuttle. With our earHer shuttles we ex- 
pected breakage with No. 36 filling on at least one in ten bob- 
bins, whereas we do not now expect more than one in twenty- 
five. It is easy to note how filling is running by casually 
glancing at the hoppers in the weave room to see how many 
partly filled bobbins have been put back in the hoppers. With 
cop filling the yarn sometimes catches in the slot of the skewer. 
Also trouble is occasioned by split cops, due either to shock in the 
shuttle box or poor design of spindle or skewer. This fault can 
be largely decreased by properly setting the pick and the use of 
proper shuttle checks. There are many checks in the market 
which box the shuttle properly, but a shuttle must be received 
easily to prevent cop splitting, and there are very few checks 
which are adapted to this requirement and also to controlling 
the shuttle properly. 



bobbi:ns. 

We have received a long and varied education in the require- 
ment of filling bobbins as we have purchased or manufactured 
all of those used on our Northrop Looms ever since we com- 
menced to build them. The complaints of our customers there- 
fore all pass through our own office. Bobbin wood is liable 
to serious fluctuation, especially when not carefully selected and 
carefully dried. We believe the greater part of the trouble with 
bobbins getting out of shape is due to short seasoning., it being 
necessary to carry a very large stock of blanks in order to have 
sufficient supply of thoroughly seasoned wood on hand. Changes 
in the wood itself not only require reaming and the vs^eeding out 
of badly warped bobbins, but also cause loosening of the rings 



123 



before the bobbins are otherwise worn out. It is, of course, 
necessary for our loom that the bobbin rings should hold firmly 
so that the bobbin will lie propei'ly in the shuttle. We insist on 
careful gauging of both wood and rings at the start, but the wood 
may change after the gauging process. The split rings applied 
to the bobbins are necessarily somewhat elliptical. In order to 
obviate trouble from this source the rings are applied so that the 
slots will not be opposite each other. The bobbins will 
swell if filling is dampened so that they will not fit the 
spindles. This necessitates reaming, but the reaming should 
not be done while the bobbins are wet, as too much wood will 
then be removed. We are now introducing spindles with a 
centrifugal clutch that allows a loose fit with the bobbin on the 
clutch and allows more leeway for the fit. We believe this is 
one of the most important improvements ever made in the art. 
The contour of the bobbin varies with the kind of yarn spun. 
Bobbins for coarse filling require coarser steps on the cone. 
With coarse yarn we use I3 steps, for print yarn 14. For coarse 
filling we usually recommend grooves on the barrel instead of 
ribs. We have inade careful experiments in order to detei'mine 
the proper size of barrel for filling bobbins, and our standard 
patterns are all of uniform diameter. To avoid trouble with 
damp filling we advise that the bobbins be filled with lin- 
seed oil and two coats of shellac applied after they are dried. 
Much trouble is found with filling yarn because the bobbins 
do not fit down properly on the spindles. We expect to 
obviate this trouble entirely with our new sjiindle, but the fault 
will necessarily continue in old mills. With the old pattern of 
spindle the bobbins should fit the sleeve at from one-half to five- 
eighths of an inch, entering the cup{{i there be one) at about one- 
eighth of an inch, fitting loose at the upper bearing., which should 
be at least 3-4 of an inch in length. Cups are really not neces- 
sary on our filling bobbins as the steel rings prevent splitting. 



124 



When the bobbins are reamed the reamer should be care- 
fully watched. Not over 500 bobbins should be reamed without 
testing the fit. Try the spindle in the bobbin and feel if there is 
play at the upper bearing. If not, the reamer needs spreading. 
To spread and sharpen a reamer, the temper must be drawn^ the 
reamer placed in a vice and the part that reams slightly spread 
with a light hammer and a tool made for that purpose. The 
reamer must then be tempered. Any good mechanic can change 
the reamer to the proper size. A mill with 10,000 filling bob- 
bins should have at least six top reamers and two "pod^^ 
reamers. The upper bearing gives a great deal more trouble 
than the lower bearing and it is v^ell to have a surplus. Run 
the reamer at least 2,000 revolutions a minute, — 2,500 is better. 
A good man should ream from 7,000 to 10,000 bobbins a day. 
Every mill should have at least 20 bobbins to a spindle to each 
number of yarn used. To weave off in the shuttle properly the 
filling wind should be considered. We have found many mills 
where chansres in the traverse v\^ould eive better results. 



PREVENTING BUNCHES IN CLOTH. 

All weavers know that when the last end of filling winds 
off from a bobbin it is liable to inake a bti7ich in the cloth. 
Careful investigation has determined that these bunches are 
practically always due to the bobbins "which did not start 
up properly after doffing and therefore require to be wound on 
by hand a few tui^ns in order to piece up. These few turns are 
not wound tight enough to wind off properly and very possibly all 
come off together, which accounts for the fault noted. There is 
a common method of doffing which also aggravates this difficulty, 
when the doffers wind the yarn on the bobbins by giving it a few 



125 



twists around the base instead of using the socket doff. The 
socket doff is certainly preferable. In order to avoid the trouble 
from the bunch with the bobbins not starting pi'operly, Mr. 
Charles H. Arnold of Grosvenor Dale, Conn., designed a 
method in which the doffers are provided with bobbins having 
sufficient yarn spun on them so that they can be pieced up. 
Whenever an end does not start in doffing, the doffer removes 
the empty bobbin and replaces it with the bobbin already pro- 
vided with enough yarn to piece up. In the weaving of fine 
goods this change reduces the seconds at once to a marked 
degree. The extra bobbins are of course furnished by spinning 
a slight amount of yarn on some extra bobbins at the frame and 
then removing them for use as noted. It is, of course, some- 
what difficult to secure co-operation between the two depart- 
ments, the spinner not often willing to go to extra work on the 
weaver's account. It is only, however, in this way that good 
results are obtained. Mr. Arnold's idea is patented, but we 
allow its free use to all owners of Northrop Looms. 

The bunches can also be entirely obviated by use of the 
Feeler which will supply new filling before the end has run off 
the bobbin. We have put feelers on hundreds of looms for this 
special effect. 



COF LOOMS. 

In weaving vs^ith cop filling moi'e care is necessary than 
with bobbins. Our skewers are made from conventional pat- 
terns by an experienced builder and are designed to fit the sam- 
ple cops which are sent us. We have to fit the skewers to the 
cops, as it "will not do to assume that all cops are alike because 
they are spun on similar mule spindles. Some yarn is twisted 



126 



harder than others and yarn is often spun both coarse and fine 
on the same spindle. Proper temper is very imjDortant, as the 
skewer should not only have the proper shape, but hold it and 
stay open. Many fixers spread skewers v\^ith a screw-driver or 
other tool, but this is very liable to break them. When a mill 
uses sfeajned cops it should be careful to send us sample cops 
after being steamed. Trouble with cops splitting is not neces- 
sarily due to improper shape of skewer or excessive pick at the 
loom. It may possibly be due to the lack of proper wind in the 
spinning room. Sometimes cop skewers on our looms get bent 
by catching in the shuttle. They should be carefully examined 
at intervals to see that they are perfectly true. During the 
transfer the empty skewer strikes into the box with something of 
a blow and the cop tubes which are removed from the skewers 
can be dropped in the box to make a cushion. 



WARP STOP-MOTIONS. THE STEEL 
HARNESS. 

With our stee/ harness warp stop-motion the heddles them- 
selves are used as detectors to effect the stopping of the loom if 
a warp thread breaks or becomes too slack. Originally we only 
applied the steel harness for two-harness weaving, but are now 
using it for three, four and five-shade work with success in a 
number of mills. The heddles of the steel harness are sus- 
pended by the heddle bars which pass through slots in the upper 
part of the heddles, the warp threads being drawn through the 
eyes near the center. The lower ends of the heddles are free 
from the moving frame, but are guided by stationary devices 
which prevent their swaying too much either forward or side- 
ways. Between the harnesses is a long, flat casting called the 



127 



stop-motion girt, which serves two purposes ; first, to separate the 
harnesses and hold them in position, and second, to resist the 
action of \hQ. feeler bar when a heddle drops down and is caught 
between it and tlie girt, as happens when a warp thread breaks. 
On the lower edge of this girt is fastened a strip of sheet steel 
having serrated edges, ^vhich we call the serrated bar. The 
■edges of the feeler bars are also serrated, and this construction 
prevents the heddles from slipping or twisting when engaged 
"*by the feeler bars. 

Upon the cam shaft is the oscillator cam upon which the 
4)scillator-cam-folloiver works, which, through the oscillator rod., 
operates the feeler bars. This cam follower is held against the 
cam by means of the oscillator spring. Adjacent to this cam, and 
forming a part of the same casting, are tv^o projections. Nor- 
mally, these projections just clear the knock-off, which is a small 
casting fastened to the same stud or shaft that holds the cam fol- 
lower. When the heddle drops, the feeler bar strikes it, and 
the cam follower is thus prevented from following the cam, and 
the knock-off, on the shaft with the follower, is moved out of its 
normal position in such a way as to be struck by one of the pro- 
jections attached to the cam, thus moving the knock-off link on 
which the cam follower and the knock-off are mounted. This 
motion of the link is communicated to the shipper handle.^ throw- 
ing off the belt. When no heddle is down the feeler bars oscil- 
late back and forth, and keep the knock-off out of the way of the 
projections or lugs on the hub of the oscillator cam, and the loom 
continues running. 

In setting the steel harness stop-motion the first thing to do 
is to either throw off the belt, or remove the key -which holds 
the end of the shipper-lever in the shipper-handle (the latter can 
now be done on all looms which we make) , and place the ship- 
per handle in the notch in the shipper-lock; this will bring the 
stop-motion parts into the same position as w^hen the loom is 



128 



running. Then turn the loom until the feeler-bars are in their 
exti'eme forward position under the girt. The knock-off link 
should be against its bearing in the hub of the cam, and the 
cam -follower should bear against the cam in its lowest place. 
The small casting on the same stud as the cam-follower, called 
the knock-off^ should be so set that it will just clear the projec- 
tions on the hub of the cam as the cam revolves on the cam- 
shaft. 

The cam on this stop-motion is very similar to that used 
with the cotton harness stop-motion. The position of the oscil- 
lator-cam is governed by the setting of the harness cams and 
should work in conjunction with them. When the harnesses 
are level, or passing each other, the oscillator cam should be so 
set that the long axis of the cam is horizontal, that is, so that the 
faces of the cam point directly to the front and back of the loom 
on a line parallel ^vith the floor. 

The cain-follower is held in position by a spring on the stud 
to vs^hich it is fastened ; if it does not follow the cam as quickly 
as it should, tighten this spring. Care should be taken, how- 
ever, not to have too much tension on this spring-, 
but just enough to make the cam-follower work properly ; other- 
vs^ise the heddles may be bent by the force of the blow. The 
motion of this cam-follower is communicated to the feeler-shaft 
by means of the oscillator-rod^ the length of which may be varied 
at will by means of the oscillator-rod-coupling. 

On each side of the stop-motion girt, under the warp and 
just touching it, are the front and back rods, which hold the 
heddles in place so they will drop into position to be caught by 
the feeler-bar if a thread breaks. These rods also hold up slack 
threads which otherwise might allow the heddles to drop low 
enough to stop the loom. 

Small castings called heddk-bar collars are placed on the 
heddle bars to keep the heddles in line with the yarn. There 



is also a heddle-box-block at each end of the stop-motion girt to 
keep the bottom part of the heddles in line. 

The harnesses ai-e allowed to cross at various positions of 
the crank, on underthrow looms from the bottom center to the 
front center, and on overthrow looms from the top center to the 
front center, according to the class of goods to be woven. 

On two-shade looms the harnesses are connected to ^vhat 
are termed harness-rolls at the top of the loom. Care should be 
^ised to have the back harness connected with the larger roll, and 
the front harness to the smaller roll, in order to work in 
harmony with the harness cams. The opposite to this has 
sometimes been done, thus interfering with the proper working 
of the loom. 

The front heddle bars are smaller than the back bars, and 
must be set in their proper position. 

The front and back rods should be set just high enough to 
touch the yai-n when the yarn is in its proper position on the 
race-plate. 

If the shade should be too high above the race-plate it can 
be lowered by turning down the set screws in the castings, at 
each side of the loom, upon which the harness-roll-shaft rests, 
and then tightening the connection between the harness-yoke and 
treadle. To do this, raise the cap having the spring on top and 
turn it. If the shade should be too low, loosen the connection 
between the harness-yoke and treadle and raise the harness. 
The shade should just clear the race-plate. A great advantage 
with the steel harness is, that after the shade is once set it re- 
quires very little or no attention, and new warps can be put in 
without altering the shade, and more quickly than with any 
other harness made. In putting in a warp, however, it is possi- 
ble to get it tangled up ; but this can be avoided by a little care 
and common sense on the part of the operative. After the warp 
is once placed in the loom there is no danger of tangling. 



I30 



The bottom connection of the front harness should be placed 
in the second notch in the treadle and the back one in thefonrth 
notch. 

The heddle-lbars must be straight. If the heddles 

bind in any way on the bed die-bar it will cause reedy cloth, 
and also be a serious strain on the yarn. No oil should be 
put on the heddles or heddle bars. 

It sometimes becomes necessary to apply a heddle to the 
harness after the warp has been drawn in, and this is usually 
done by breaking open the slot and slipping it onto the bar. 
While this is all right as a temporary expedient, it is well to go 
over the harnesses in the drawing-in room before re-drawing, 
and remove such heddles, as they are liable to catch in adjacent 
heddles, and interfere with the pi'oper action of the warp stop- 
motion. 

One of the most annoying troubles formerly experienced 
with our steel harness looms was due to the liability of the hed- 
dles to become magnetized., thereby causing them to stick to- 
gether and make poor sheds. Some slight changes in construc- 
tion have seemed to overcome this difficulty, as we hear very 
little from it, except on some of our earlier looms. It is per- 
fectly easy to remove this magnetization by passing the heddles 
through an electric coil^ and w^e have demagnetized several lots 
for our customers. 

Sometimes the lower ends of the heddles are seriously bent 
or twisted by the action of the feeler-bars. This, however, is 
due to improper adjustment whereby the loom continues to run 
when a heddle is down, the heddle thus receiving hundreds or 
even thousands of blows before the broken thread is discovered 
and pieced up. 

Like every other mechanism that contacts w^ith a cotton 
thread, the heddle is smoothed by use in a way which no previ- 
ous mechanical method can attempt to duplicate. Our steel 



131 



heddles will therefore work much better after a few weeks' use, 
and cause much less warp breakage than when on their first 
warp. We polish the eyes in the best manner known — in fact, 
we use especially invented processes ; but the rubbing contact of 
the cotton thread gives the final finish to the surface. It is im- 
possible for this wear to ever make a sharp edge, as the thread 
turns its corner in such a way as to continually round the edge. 

So far as our experience goes we see no reason why steel 
Treddles should not last indefinitely. We have had sets 
running for ten years that are better than when made. Of course 
they may get bent or damaged by carelessness, but there is 
nothing in the normal operation to injure them. 

In our great variety of experiments with various designs of 
steel harnesses, we have arrived at the conclusion that in order 
to secure the best results the heddles must be left with freedom 
to adjust themselves to conditions. With certain weaves, how- 
ever, it has been noticed that the heddles will sway or bend to 
excess, and where this becomes serious we have found it ad- 
visable to use separators, which keep the heddles from swaying. 



COTTON HARNESS STOP-MOTION, 
ROPER TYPE. 

With this attachment, the ordinary ticn'ne or cotton harness is 
used, the stop-motion being applied between the harnesses and 
the lease rods, two or more threads being drawn through each drop 
wire. The threads in this stop-motion pass through long slots in 
the wires instead of round eyes., there being two such slots, — one 
for the passage of the thi'eads, and the other for the passage of 
the dj-op wire bar. We sometimes use a separate free bar or 
^weight passed through the tozuer slot and resting on the drop-wires 



132 



to keep them vertical in action. The stop- motion girt, knock-off^ 
etc., are similar to those ah'eady described. We also use a back 
rod or ivarp support^ as with the steel harness. The stop-motio7t 
girt can be raised or lowered and should be set in position for 
the feeler bar to clear the drop wires when the shade is wide 
open and no warp threads broken. It should also be set high 
enough so that when the shade is wide open it will not pull the 
drop wires up to their full limit on the drop wire bar. This can 
also be adjusted backward or forward so as to give room for ad- 
ditional harnesses. The y^^/er bar^ which is the piece of sheet 
steel bent at right angles, with teeth in the edge, should be set so 
that when it has reached the end of its forward movement, it 
will be under the girt and close to it. While this form of stop- 
motion will apply for many forms of three, four and five harness 
weaves, there are special classes of shedding to which it will not 
apply. We have therefore introduced the third (orm^ the single 
thread stop-motion, which can be used with any style of weav- 
ing, including dobbies s.n(\.jacqiiai-ds. 



SINGLE THREAD STOP-MOTION. 

With this construction, there is one detector or drop-wire 
for each thread. We apply it in several ways, our more common 
method being to arrange the drop-wires in tioo banks, using them 
to also do the leasing'xn place of the ordinary lease rods. We can 
use tlu-ee banks if necessary. When using two banks, there are 
front and back box plates instead of a center girt. The feeler bar 
is different ; it being flat instead of bent at right-angles, and it 
oscillates between the two banks. To prevent the drop-wires 
from slipping or twisting when engaged by the feeler-bar, we 
place serrated bars on the bottoms of the box plates. The top 



133 



edges of the box plates serve as warp supports. The feeler bar 
having double action requires two knock-offs and tioo oscillator 
rods between the cam and \h& feeler-shaft. 

In setting this stop-motion, throw off belt or remove key as 
before, placing the shipper handle in its notch in the shipper 
lock. Set the knock-off link, (the long casting forming connec- 
tion to the shipper handle,) against its bearing on the cam hub so 
as to have no back lash. Then place the feeler bar in the cen- 
ter between the box plates and adjust the tiuo small castings on the 
feeler shaft which we call the tight and loose oscillator fingers. 
These should project, or hang evenly, on each side of the shaft. 
Now loosen the set screw which holds the stop-motion cam on the 
cam shaft so as to be able to revolve the stop-motion cam by 
hand and set the tight knock-off ., the small casting fastened to the 
stud in the knock-off link by a set screw, so that it will clear the 
point of the cam hub 1-16 to 1-8 of an inch. Turn the cam by 
hand until the cam follower rests on the lowest point of the cam 
and the feeler bar is near the back plate. Then connect 
the loose oscillator finger., that is on the feeler shaft, with the cam 
follower by means of its oscillator rod, and adjust the rod so 
that as the cam revolves the feeler bar will be moved from side 
to side equally. When this has been done, connect the tight 
oscillator finger that is on the feeler shaft with the loose knock- 
off by means of its oscillator rod anci adjust the rod so that the 
knock-off will clear the projection on the cam hub as the cam 
revolves. If, w^hen these connections and adjustments are made, 
the feeler bar should not move an equal distance each side of 
the shaft, the trouble may be overcome by further adjusting the 
oscillator rods. The spring on the stud which carries the knock- 
off a.n6. cam follower should be set just tight enough so that the cam 
follower will follow the cam properly. The tension of the spring 
on the loose oscillator finger on the feeler shaft should be so j-egu- 
lated that it will hold the two fingers together on the shaft. 



134 



RELEASE MOTION. 

With all of our warp stop-motions except the steel harness, 
trouble was formerly experienced on account of the feeler bar 
grasping and holding the drop-wire after the loom has been 
stopped by a broken end. In such a case the end was drawn in 
without raising the drop- wire, so that the loom was stopped a 
second time, or else the weaver was compelled to find the drop- 
wire and I'elease it from the grasp of the feeler bar by hand. 

We now apply with our cotton harness warp stop-motions, 
devices which either automatically release the drop-wire upon 
stoppage of the loom, or enable the weaver to quickly find the 
drop-wire which is down and then enable him to easily release 
it by hand. These involve almost no additional parts and save 
considerable time for the weaver. 



SLACK THREADS. 

Slack threads often cause trouble by letting warp detectors of 
any pattern drop low enough to engage the vibrator and stop the 
loom, causing annoyance to the weaver, who may hunt a long 
time for the supposedly broken thread. Sometimes the trouble 
is due to the whole warp being woven too slack by improper 
tension of the let-off, but the greater difficulty is from individual 
threads. We have tried to arrange sufficient leeway to over- 
come this trouble, but if it is found serious, the mill should give 
more attention to its warping and slashing. Sometimes the rela- 
tive position of the girt with relation to the whip-roll is the 
source of the trouble. On some fancy weaves where many har- 



135 



nesses are employed, several of the threads will remain neces- 
sarily slack all the time. If there are but a few of these threads 
it is easy to obviate the trouble by letting them run without de- 
tectors^ as they are not liable to break in any event on account 
of their slackness. If there is a great number of loose thi'eads 
in the pattern, it may be advisable to run them on a separate 
warp beam. 



WARF BRMAKAGE. 

Ever since our first experiments with Northrop Looms, we 
have continuously run them in our own shops with careful super- 
vision and inspection of product, and we feel that we have had 
more actual tests made of various weaving conditions than have 
been collected by all other experimenters on looms in all time. 
Some of the results are curious, showing how impossible it is to 
draw definite conclusions from machinery that employs so vari- 
able a material as cotton fibre. We keep an actual record of 
warp breakage and find that it varies in different years from as 
high as 24 warp breaks per loom per cut in one year down to 
an average of 12 in another, with no perceptible change in con- 
ditions other than the quality of the cotton used in making the 
yarn. All know that the fibre of different crops is not similar. 
Under the ordinary conditions we expect that the breakage on 
print warp with either steel or cotton harness should average be- 
tween 10 and 15 breaks per cut. If warp breakage were to be 
reduced without attention being paid to other factors, looms 
would be quite differently designed. In order to produce 
cover on the cloth the yarn is strained harder in the loiuer shade 
and shedding cams are given 9. jerky motion in order to keep the 
shades open for the shuttle to pass properly. Our steel harness 



136 



will break more ends for the first few weeks while the yarn is 
giving a final polish to the eyes. 



KNOTS. 

It was figured some years ago that two-thirds of the warp 
breakage on a loom came from the k/io^s made in piecing the 
yarn together, as these knots would fray adjoining threads or be 
caught hz the reed or betiiieen the heddles. The number of knots 
is reduced by spooling from large warp bobbins^ and by making 
good yarn which will have few piecings to cause breakage at 
the spooler or warper. A certain number of knots is unavoid- 
able, but the way the knot is tied affects the situation materially. 
In the old hand method the operative at the spooler tied a knot 
with long ends, so that for some time we advised the tying of a 
weavefs knot at the spooler which would not only have short 
ends, but be less objectionable in size. We believe that in 
Europe spooler tenders are forced to tiea weaver's knot, and some 
mills which adopted the practice here found no trouble after get- 
ting the help trained, the girls spooling as great a product as 
before. Since the introduction of the automatic knot tyer^ how- 
ever, spooler knots as tied by machinery become much less ob- 
jectionable as the machine leaves short ends and apparently ties 
the knot hard and compact. The automatic knot-tyer has gone 
into such extensive use that our recommendation is practically 
superfluous. Careless help can tie bad knots even with the 
knotter and should be followed up if long ends are noticed in the 
warps. 



137 



HARNESS CAMS. 

It is absolutely necessary for good shedding to have the 
treadle rolls in continuous contact with the cams. If there is too 
much angle on the cam point there naturally will be more ten- 
dency to throw. Harness cams should be set to start opening 
'the shades with the lay at the bottom center of the crank. If tight 
selvages are desired the cams may be delayed a little, or con- 
versely, for loose selvages^ the lay ma}^ be pushed back a little. 
This applies to looms running in the usual American manner, 
known as the zmder-throw . With over-throw looms, of course, 
the setting would be directly opposite. We built several orders 
of overthrow looms for certain of our customers at one time, but 
found that they had no appreciable advantages which could not 
be secured as well by simple changes in design on the under- 
throw principle. As to shape of harness cams we decided after 
extensive tests to use a 60*^ rest cam with all widths of loom up 
to and including 40 inch. If read with relation to the upper 
shaft, these cams would be known as 120'' rest cams. On wider 
looms the rest is made longer until on loS-inch looms we put on 
iSo*^ rest cams. There is no definite fixed rule about the shape 
of the cam. Different weavers have different ideas as to the 
amount of rest and the amount of shade opening. We try to 
satisfy our customers accoi^ding to the goods woven and the 
width of loom weaving them. In many cases the proper cam 
can only be determined after experiment. 



138 



SELVAGE. 

Selvage threads are usually looser than the others, often caus- 
ing the edge of the cloth to crinkle or be longer than the center. 
This is due to carelessness in setting the temples. If the temple 
is too far back, the yarn "will draw around it and stretch the 
thread, as the width of the cloth in the reed is greater than in 
the ^voven piece. If the temple roll is not free or runs hard for 
any cause, it will stretch the threads in the same way. Also if 
the yarn is not put on the yarn beam properly ; that is, if it is 
filled higher at the ends than in the center, the selvage will be 
slack. Where double threads are used for the selvage and 
pass through one harness eye, they cannot control the warp stop- 
motion unless both of them should break at once. Many mills 
use twisted selvage threads, which, of course, overcome this 
trouble. As there is more strain on the selvage threads the 
twisted threads would seem to have an advantage also in lessening 
zuarp breakage. 



CARE OF TEMPLES AND TEMPLE 
THREAD CUTTERS. 

To insure proper care of temples, system is necessary and 
we strongly recommend the practice of all up-to-date mills who 
have the loom fixers take out the temple rolls and thoroughly clean 
them and slightly oil the pins that hold the roll in place every time 
a warp is run out before a new^one is allowed to be started. The 
fixer should also examine the temple thread cutter at the same 
time. With this amount of care the usual troubles will be 



139 



entirely eliminated. The temple thread cutter is only supposed 
to cut the thread leading from the hopper stud to the cloth when 
the filling is changed. A loose thread at the selvage left by the 
filling running out will not necessai'ily be cut by the thread 
cutter, so that the presence of such threads does not indicate that 
the thread cutter is not working. These loose threads are com- 
mon on all looms. In setting temples, place the lay fully for- 
ward and set the temple head about 1-16 of an inch from 
the reed. The thread cutter knife can be removed by de- 
taching the sprifig on the cutter arm and pulling the cutter out, 
at the same time raising the front of it as high as possible. It 
can be replaced without difficulty. A strip of leather is placed on 
the lay opposite the temple heel and cutter arm to strike them 
when the lay comes forward. The strip at the thread cutter side 
is made long enough to strike both the temple heel and the cutter 
arm. 

The knife and the steel in the bar should both be sharp, 
and cai-e should be taken that the former does not get bent so 
that it will not cut the thread. 

The temple should be set as close to the fell of the cloth 
as can be done without cutting the rimning filling. This is 
important as the right-band fork is "out of commission" from 
the time that the bobbin is transferred to the time that the temple 
thread-cutter cuts the thread close to the cloth, and in case of a 
filling break during this period this fork will not detect the ab- 
sence of filling as it should. Of course, the left-hand fork 
should stop the loom on the next pick but it sometimes happens 
that when the shuttle crosses the loom the thread will catch in 
the shade, and the loom will go on running although a mispick 
has been made. 

Care must be taken of course, to see that all the parts of the 
temple are correctly fastened together. If heel screws are not 
tight, the temple may damage the reed. The reciprocation of 



140 



the temple baj- produces wear unless properly lubricated. If 
the temple heads get loose, the teeth on the rolls are liable to be 
damaged by pressing against the bar. 



FBBLBR FILLING CHANGER. 

The /ee/er motion is placed on the left hand side of the loom 
when the hopper is on the right hand side. It is set so that the 
filling feeler will pass through slots in the front box plate and 
shuttle^ coming in contact with the yarn on the bobbin or cop as 
the lay beats forward. When the filling in the shuttle has been 
nearly woven off so that it ^vill no longer move the filling-feeler, 
the filling-changing mechanism or battery operates, supplying a 
fresh bobbin or cop to the shuttle when it is thrown to the other 
side of the loom. In case the filling breaks before it has been 
woven off sufficiently to operate the feeler, the loom will stop, 
thus enabling the weaver to find and match the pick by hand, as 
in common loom weaving. The mechanism can be set, how- 
ever, so that it will supply fresh filling at such times if desired. 
This allows occasional faults, but on some goods where it would 
not do to have mi spicks every time the filling changed, it would 
do no harm to have an occasional mispick, and the failure of the 
loom to stop for filling-breaks means increased production for 
the loom. To set the feeler, place an empty bobbin, or cop 
skewer with an empty tube in the shuttle and bring the lay to its 
extreme forward position. Turn the adjusting screw in the feeler 
until the end of the latter is about the thickness of a layer of yarn 
from the bobbin or cop tube. Then take several bobbins or 
skewers having a small quantity of yarn on them, place one 
in the shuttle, and start the loom. If it is thrown out before 
enovigh filling is woven off, or if the filling runs out 



141 



entirely before the bobbin or skewer is thrown out, the adjust- 
ing screw can be turned either way till the feeler is effective. 
Several trials may be necessary before the feeler is set 
properly. The coil spring around the shank of the feeler 
regulates the pressure on the filling in the shuttle. The 
tension on this spring is made as light as is consistent 
with proper action. If too strong, it will push the bob- 
bin out of line. From time to time the weaver should examine 
\hQ front oi the filling-feeler, where it enters the shuttle and con- 
tacts with the filling. If rougli, it slioulcl be smoothed 

with a little emery cloth or it may wear the filling and break it. 
While our present feelers are so made as to run independent 
of back lash, and looseness in the lay crank arms, it is well, of 
course, to have lost motion taken up. Pains should be taken to 
see that the shuttle is properly boxed at the feeler end, as well 
as the hopper end, of the loom, or the feeler may strike the 
shuttle itself instead of passing through the slot in it. It seems 

almost useless to explain that the feeler requires special 
bobbins with cylindrical contour, but parties have 

actually tried to run the feeler with coned bobbins at times. 
With our earlier filling-feelers any change in position of the 
front box plate necessitated readjustment of the feeler itself. This 
is not necessary with our present feelers. 

Be careful that the filling-feeler passes through the slots in 
the box-plate and shuttle without touching. It is well, however, 

to set it as near the upper edge of the slot in 

the shuttle as possible, for the shuttle in running is lia- 
ble to rise off the lay, and if the feeler is set for the middle of 
the slot it may then strike the lower edge and be prevented from 
changing the bobbin. As the possibility for mispicks comes 
only w^hen the filling has parted or been exhausted, it is desir- 
able to keep feeler-failures as low as is consistent with a reason- 
able amount of waste. 



143 



The bobbin-box which we furnish with our feeler looms is 
made much longer than our other bobbin-box, not for the sake 
of holding more empty bobbins, but, in order that the out-going 
bobbin should have farther to fall, and thus be able to draw 

the filling out of the shuttle-eye, and prevent it 
from being- carried back into the cloth. This box 

should be emptied often, and should never be allowed to get 
more than one-third full. On coarse filling it may be neces- 
sary to empty the bobbin-boxes three or four times a day. 



BOXING THE SHUTTLE. 

This is important on all looms, but especially so on North- 
rop feeler-looms, as the correct operation of the feeler, the 
hopper and the self-threading shuttle are all largely dependent 
on the boxing of the shuttle. 

If the shuttle is going too hard into the right-hand box the 
filling may be sloughed off\h.& bobbin, or it may loop around the 
eye of the shuttle, or it may be thrown out of this eye. 

If the shuttle is allowed to go too far into the box the bob- 
bin will strike too far back on the shuttle-spring-cover. Mis- 
threads are often due to this cause, and sometimes this will result 
in the bobbin being broken or being left in the shade, causing a 
break-out. 

If the shuttle rebounds, the trouble mentioned is likely to 
occur, and also the more serious trouble of striking the shuttle- 
feeler, with the liability of cutting the thread although the bobbin 
is not changed. 

There is another point in the running of the shuttle which 
may escape the attention of the fixer, and if so, mispicks are 
sure to result. The shuttle may be boxing very nicely on the 



143 



right-hand side, and the thread-cutter may be going forward 
properly, yet the bobbin will not be transferred the first time the 
feeler operates, sometimes the yarn being entirely run off the 
bobbin although the feeler operates each time the shuttle is on 
that side of the loom. This is due to the fact that tliere is 

not quite enough power on the pick toTt^ard the 

hopper, the shuttle entering the box so late that, as the lay 
swings forward, the tip of the moving shuttle touches the end 
of the shuttle-feeler just enough to depress the latch, and pre- 
vent the bobbin transfer. As the shvittle continues to move, 
the shuttle-feeler will, an instant later, pass by the end of the 
shuttle, and the thread will be cut unless prevented by the 
bunter. 



SPECIAL YARN WINDING ON FEELER 
BOBBINS. 

Bobbins used on our feeler looms are preferably spun with 
a preliminary btcnch, in order to reduce the waste left after feeler 
operation, by mechanism especially attached to the spinning 
frame. We had several types of mechanism of this chai'acter, 
some automatic and some semi-automatic. Recently, we have 
developed a slightly different method of obtaining the same end, 
by which we start the winding of the yarn on the bobbin with a 
short traverse, gradually increasing the same until the regular 
ti"averse is reached. This device is absolutely automatic, very 

simple in construction, and the results are preferable, since with 
the bunch it often happened that yarn wound lower than the 
bunch would break in winding off, by contact with the bunch. 
We supply the necessary mechanisms to the various makes of 
spinning frame, at a uniform and moderate price. 



144 



In order that the waste on feeler looms may be satisfactorily 
low without incurring the danger of mispicks in the cloth from 
frequent feeler-failures, it is absolutely necessary that care 
be taken with these bunch-builders on the spinning frames. If 
the bunches are too small it ^vill not be possible to always weave 
down to the bunch without danger of an excessive number of 
feeler-failures . No fixed rules can be given in this matter, but a 
little attention and expei"imenting on the part of each mill will 
enable it to settle the question for itself. Where our latest 
bunch-builders have been inti^oduced no trouble should be expe- 
rienced on this score, as a large bunch is automatically produced, 
and without the possibility of trouble in weaving off. 



FEELER THREAD-CUTTER. 

The thread-cutter used as an auxiliary on our feeler looms is 
attached to the casting called the sh2ittle-feeler, which is moved 
up to the lay whenever a change of filling is called for. If the 
shuttle is boxed properly so that the feeler does not contact with 
its tip, the thread-cutter will cut the filling which extends from 
the cloth to the bobbin, the filling not being entirely w^oven off. 
A clamping device holds the end extending from the cloth to the 
cutter so that the temple thread-cutter will cut it close to the cloth. 
The thi'ead is thus cut in two places ; first, as close to the shuttle 
as possible, so that the bobbin when expelled can easily drag it 
out; and next, it is cut close to the selvage. In setting the cut- 
ter, take pains to see that the jaws will engage the thread prop- 
erly. Heavy filling may require a slightly different setting than 
light filling. To raise or lower the device, change the position of 
the standon the loom side to which the whole device is fastened. 

The thread should never he cut unless a hoh- 



H5 



bin is transferred. Failure to fulfil this condition is re- 
sponsible for more mispicks than any other cause. The bunter 
used with the thread-cutter is designed to accomplish this result, 
and will do so, but it often requires considerable time and skill 
to get the thread-cutter set in the right relation to this bunter. 
When the shuttle is out of position so that its tip just strikes the 
end of the shuttle-feeler (which carries the thread-cutter) the 
latter will be pushed back and the latch will be depressed 
t)elow the edge of the bunter. When, however, the shuttle- 
feeler gets back a certain distance it begins to move to the left, 
and this allows it to slip by the end of the shuttle. If, now, the 
heel of the movable knife on the thread-cutter strikes the bunter 
on the lay the thread will be cut although no bobbin is being 
transferred, but the latch should now strike on the slanting por- 
tion, below the edge, of the bunter and thus prevent the knife 
from being closed. 

Whenever a bobbin is transferred the outgoing thread 
should be cut, drawn back and held until cut again close to the 
cloth by the temple thread-cutter. This requires that the thread 
shall always get into the opening at the end of the shuttle-feeler, 
that the knives (both movable and fixed) shall be sharp, and that 
the movable knife shall work just hard enough so that the thread 
will be pinched and held, after being cut, at the same time not 
being so tight that the thread will be cut by the back side of the 
knife. If thus cut by the back of the knife the thread will not 
be held and will be either woven into the cloth or left as a fringe 
on the selvage. This would also happen if the knife were too 
loose to hold the thread at all, or so loose as to jar open, after 
drawing the thread back, before it could be cut by the temple 
thread-cutter. 

The thread-cutter should be kept well oiled or it will not go 
forward properly when a bobbin is to be transferred. When 
this happens the insertion of a new bobbin may be so delayed 



146 



that the yarn will be entirely run off the bobbin and the loom 
will stop. 



LET-OFF. 

Let-off motions may be divided into two general classes, 
tension and friction. Tension devices are intended to let off a 
definite amount of waip at each stroke of the lay. It is evident 
that as the warp beam runs out, it is necessary to turn it faster in 
proportion to the reduction in diameter, as there must be more 
movement when nearing the empty beam in order to feed off an 
equal amount of yarn. With the Bartlett let-off, it is necessary to 
regulate the tension by adjustment of the collar on the trombone 
as the beam weaves off, so that enough teeth of the ratchet will 
be taken up each time. Approximately, the warp beam should 
turn about three times as fast when empty as when full, and when 
full should move at least one tooth of the ratchet at each motion 
of the lay. Improper delivery of yarn will cause uneven strain 
in the cloth, making it vary in width, and increasing warp 
breakage. Sufficient friction should be put on the let-off zv he elto 
prevent it from running by the point where the pav^l leaves it. 
The let-off motions that we now use are the Bartlett, Friction with 
rope chain or leatheroids, and our latest mechanism called the 
Draper-Roper self-adjusting let-off. The Bartlett and Friction are 
standard devices needing no special description here. The self- 
adjusting let-off is what its name implies ; that is, when the ten- 
sion is once set, there is no need of again adjusting it for the 
goods being woven. If the goods are changed the tension can 
be changed to accommodate the new conditions. This let-off 
will keep the cloth at more uniform width than any other, 
because the tension is more uniform. No special reference to 



147 



detail Is necessaiy as the adjustments are similar to those for the 
Bartlett. 



WARP BEAMS. 

There is, of course, an advantage in putting as much yarn 
as possible on the beam, and our new let-off will allow large 
beams with little trouble, as the tension can be regulated to the 
greater difference in diameters. The larger the beam head, 
however, the greater the trouble with crossed tlweads. VVe soon 
changed from i6 to 1 8-inch beams, and now furnish 20-inch 
beams when desired. We do not, however, recommend larger 
than iS-inch beams for fine numbers. 



TAKEVP. 

We have a number of take-up motions which we apply to 
our looms, the particular motion used depending on the model 
of the loom and the goods to be woven. Most of our take-ups 
are of the high-roll type, although we can supply low-roll 
take-ups with some of our models if desired. As the general 
operation of the different take-ups is very similar, we will here 
describe in detail only the one in most common use — the high- 
roll, spur-gear take-up with ove7'-pick take-up pawl. The same 
take-up with an tinder-pick take-up pawl is also largely 
used, the only difference being that this pawl acts on the under 
side of the pick-wheel, its active stroke thus coming with the 
forward instead of the backward beat of the lay. 

With this take-up the take-up roll is placed next to and 



148 



inside of the breast beam. This take-vip roll has a geai" at one 
end which meshes with an intermediate gear, and this in turn 
meshes with the change gear, the latter being driven by the pick- 
ivheel, which is located about half way between the front girt and 
breast beam. The pick-wheel is operated by the take-itp pawl 
which is attached to the lay sword, and as the lay swings back, 
takes up one tooth at ever}^ pick. The pick-wheel is prevented 
from letting back by the hold-back pawl, which is fastened to the 
cloth roll stand. Inside of the hold-back pawl and on the same 
stud is the slack pawl. When the filling breaks the hold-back 
pawl is lifted, allowing the slack pawl to let back the ratchet 
wheel from one to three teeth, as the quality of the cloth may 
require, thus avoiding cracks or thin places. The change gear is 
composed of two gears in one casting, one of which meshes into 
an intermediate gear and the other into the gear on the hub of 
the pick wheel. This gear is held in place on a swinging or half- 
ci7-cle stand. Each tooth on one end of the change gear usually 
represents two picks; for instance, for 64 picks use a 32-tooth 
change gear, and a 50 gear for 100 picks. We sometimes use a pick- 
wheel, however, -with ^vhich one tooth on the change-gear repre- 
sents one pick in the cloth. After leaving the take-up roll, the 
cloth is wound on a smooth iron roll called the cloth roll 
which is held against the take-up roll by the cloth roll racks. 
The cloth roll as we now make it has teeth cut in one end to be 
turned by gear teeth on the take-up roll heads ^ so that the cloth roll 
will get a positive rotation -while starting to wind the cloth. As 
soon as a little cloth is ^vound, these teeth will not mesh and the 
rest of the cloth -will be wound by friction alone. The cloth roll 
racks have teeth meshing into gears at each end of the spring 
shaft. The spring is wound by a gear and luorni wheel and handle 
attached to the front girt. When not in iise, the handle can be 
put into the notch provided for it and be out of the -way of the 
operative. Cloth can be removed from the roll at any time, the 



149 



weaver taking off cuts when convenient. As the take-up roll is 
made of metal, it will not change on account of the weather like 
a wooden one. "D^^ fillet is fastened to luoo den plugs inserted into 
holes in the metal roll. The take-up roll is adjustable vertically 
and can be raised or lowered to adjust the level of the cloth on 
the lay and give cover. We now usually make this take-up so 
that the cloth can be run o\er several stationary rolls before having 
any contact with the take-up roll, so as to give more stretch to 
^lie cloth between the take-up roll and the lay, which is desirable 
on certain classes of goods, but the cloth can be run direct to the 
roll if desired. The pressure due to the spring on the spring 
shaft may be varied by turning the collar to which it is fastened. 
When the take-up roll is empty and the cloth roll is forced up 
against it, the worm on the spring shaft should be in such a posi- 
tion that the handle by which it is turned will just go into its 
notch. The slack pawl has three small holes through it in one 
of which we place a cotter pin. Each of these holes represents 
one tooth on the pick wheel ; that is, if the cotter pin is in the 
first hole, when the loom stops, the take-up will let back one 
tooth. If in the second hole, two teeth, and in the third hole, 
three teeth. The cotter pin is placed according to the demands 
of the cloth. When setting the let-back, turn the loom until the 
filling cam follower or iveft hammer is in its position nearest the 
breast beam. Pull the filling fork up over the hook on this cam 
follower and the change mechanism will now be in operative 
position. There is a pawl-raising finger fastened to the starting 
rod hy a set screw which should be turned until it extends under 
the end of the take-up pawl and lifts it out of its engagement 
with the pick tvheel. The take-up pawl passes under a lateral lug 
on the hold-back pawl, and as the former is lifted, it in turn lifts 
the hold-back pawl out of engagement with the pick wheel, 
which is then free to turn backward as far as permitted by the 
slack pawl. This accomplishes the letting back of the take-up 



I50 



at the time transfer takes place, and the take-up should be looked 
after from time to time with great care, to see that the pawl is 
actually thrown out of engagement every time there is a transfer, 
thus allowing the pick wheel to turn back as described. If this 
is neglected thill places in the cloth will certainly he 
caused. 



FILLING FORK, 

A fining fork can act improperly by rebounding so as to 
avoid catching on the hook of the cam folloiver. Our own fork is 
designed to balance properly ; in fact, we think it the best bal- 
anced fork in use. A fork can also operate improperly by being 
raised by a dragging filling thready after the filling in the shuttle is 
exhausted. 

If a fork is very light in action, it may be lifted by lint col- 
lecting in front of t\\e.grid. The more common trouble, however, 
on our old looms is due to the lay shifting position, so that 
the fork tines will strike the grid and thus be improperly raised 
when the filling is absent. Of course, any false operation of the 
filling fork will cause thin places when the filling runs out, as no 
change of filling will be called for SO loilg as the fork con- 
tinues to lift. 

Our double fork gives a double chance against faulty opera- 
tion; but even with the double fork a shifting lay may operate 
both improperly. We therefore designed some of our early fork 
stands to be guided by the lay so that if the loom shifted, the 
stands would shift also. More recently, however, we have 
adopted a lay guide attached to the loom fi^ame and sliding in 
another casting bolted to the lay, so that side shifting of the lay 
is now prevented. 



151 



Filling forks are often made with soft metal tines ^ so that the 
fixer can bend them into any shape desired. We prefer to 

make our forks right at the start, using tempered wire, 

so that they cannot be easily bent. In our most recent construc- 
tion, the tines are cast into place and their position is absolutely 
fixed and unchangeable. Our forks are usually made with three 
tines, although we ixxxxix^ foitr-tine forks for special light goods. 

The forks should pass through the grates without touching, 
' and as the tines sometimes get bent and need straightening this 
should be looked after frequently. 

The connections with the shipper-handle must 
be so adjusted that the loom will be stopped by 
either fork. 

The connections with the take-up should be properly set or 
thin places in the cloth will be caused. 

The same attention should be given to both the right-hand 
and the left-hand forks on double fork looms as they are of equal 
importance. It is a great mistake to think that it is only nec- 
essary that one fork shall be in proper working order. 



A stiff, heavy lay is absolutely necessary to weave heavy 
goods, and the hand-rail must, of necessity, be stiff in propor- 
tion. 

Much trouble is experienced with lays if the wood is not 
properly seasoned before use. We find it advisable to rough out 
our lays and let them season some time before finishing. We 
carry a large stock of lay timber on hand ahead of orders, so 
that we shall not be forced to use unseasoned stock by any un- 
common demand. 



152 



The position of the pivot from which the lay swings with 
relation to the position of the crmik shaft determines the eccen- 
tricity of the lay's motion, which is advisable in order to give the 
shuttle more time in crossing, and also to help give cover to the 
cloth. 

The raceivay for the shuttle should be absolutely true, and it 
is advisable to go over looms with a straight edge at times to 
detect any error. The raceboard should be slightly lower than 
the level of the shuttle boxes, in order to allow for the thickness 
of the threads which rest on the race underneath the shuttle. 

When the lay is at the end of its forward stroke it must be 
in position to allow proper delivery of a fresh bobbin or cop to 
the shuttle. Any wear of parts that allows the lay to throw for- 
ward too much should be taken up, and if it becomes necessary 
to shorten the crank arm to take up wear, the position of the lay 
can still be corrected by adjusting the eccentric pins in the lay 
swords to which the crank arms ai'e fastened as explained in sec- 
tion relating to hopper adjustment. Of course it is only neces- 
sary to adjust the pin at the hopper end of the lay in order to get 
the shuttle box properly under the hopper, but great pains must 
be taken to adjust the pin at the other end of the lay exactly the 
same amount, or else the lay will have a curious eccentric 
motion, one end beating up further than the other, causing the 
shuttle to wear into the reed or strike the shuttle box sides im- 
properly. If the wooden parts of the crank arms wear so badly 
that the eccentric pins will not furnish sufficient adjustment, the 
v\^ooden parts should be replaced. If too much play is allowed in 
the crank arm bearings, there is possibility of cracks or slight 
thin places in the cloth when the loom stops. 



153 



REED. 

The reed should be either set in an exact plane with the 
shuttle box back plates^ or slightly back to allow for variations, as 
it will plane the shuttle if too far front. It should be set at ex- 
act right angles with the shuttle race, the hand rail or reed-cap 
'being filed to fit, and forced firmly into place. 

The purpose of the reed is simply to beat in the filling 
threads, and furnish a back guide for the shuttle. As the dents 
furnish more or less of an obstruction to any bunches or knots in 
the yarn, it is advisable to have them as ////// as is practicable, in 
order that they may offer little surface for side contact, and also 
be free to give slightly when necessary. In order to have a good 
running reed, the edges of the dents should be straight ^wA smooth. 
In nearly every case where mills have complained of shuttles 
wearing excessively on the back, it has been because the dents of 
the reed were sharp, scraping the backs of the shuttles, like a 
fine file, ^xvdi fluting 'Ca&m. so that they looked something like a 
miniature washboard. 

In the manufacture of reeds, the straightening and polishing 
of the dents is by far the most expensive and slowest part of 
reed making, and when not properly done, simply indicates a 
poor job, and an attempt to make an extra profit. Sharp reeds 
are also very hard on the warp yarn, the blame of bad running 
warp often being put on the quality of the yarn, when it is really 
the reeds that make the trouble. To test a sharp reed, draw the 
finger nail edgewise across it, and if it wears the nail, the reed is 
sharp and not properly polished. The dents should not bite the 
nail any, and should, of course, be in line. Manufacturers should 
insist on having smooth reeds, and inspect them carefully to be 
sure that they get what they order. There are reed manufac- 



154 



turers who supply proper reeds and have pride in their reputa- 
tion. It is not our business to recommend special dealers, but 
we are often tempted to when noting what inferior supplies are 
sometimes attached to our looms. 

The reed dents should be as thin as possible, to allow elas- 
ticity and can, of course, be made deeper, if the thinning is 
inexpedient without it. The manner of holding a reed in the 
lay is not so positive as it might be, since reeds vary so much in 
contour. We formerly used an adjustable fliter by which the reed 
could be positively clamped, no matter what its size. The idea 
was good in itself, but we found that fixers were liable to screw 
the bolts up too tight and pull the reed in front of the shuttle box. 
We have therefore gone back to the old reed groove system, but 
have improved its form so that it seems sufficiently efficient. In 
order to fit this groove properly, it is necessary for customers to 
send us several pieces of different reeds, so that we may know how 
much their size varies. 



SHUTTLE BOXES. 

The back box plates are set at exact right angles with the lay 
ends by filing the rids or fitting strips at the back of the plates. 
The back box plates must be set in line w^ith each other, the reed 
being preferably set slightly back of this line, as it v\^ill not do 
to run any chances of having the reed in front of this line. A 
long steel straight edge is necessary in order to try the plates and 
see that they are in proper position. The front box plates should 
be set so that the top will lean slightly towai'd the back box plates, 
thereby reducing the liability of the shuttle rising in the box. 
If set at a right angle it will probably work all right, but it must 
not lean from the back box plate. At the same time it must not 



155 



lean much toward the back box plate or it will wear the top of 
the shuttle. With back binder looms, the front plates are adjust- 
able and should be set so as to line the point of the shuttle in the 
cent7'e of the picker stick slot. With the front box plate in 
position, adjust the binder properly by loosening the ///// on the 
end of the screiv which passes through the binder bushing, turn- 
ing the bushing which is eccentric, until the binder is adjusted to 
the proper position. We have had a great deal of expei-ience 
with different binder materials, at first being ready to follow the 
request of our customers, until we had definitely settled the mat- 
ter to our own satisfaction. A binder may be of "wood, wood 
with leather face, wood with steel face, wrought iron, cast iron, 
or iron with leather attached. We now prefer a wooden binder 
faced with leather, as we find that leather does not wear the 
shuttle so badly as either wood or iron. Iron binders bring a 
hard pressure on the shuttle when the loom bangs-off with the 
shuttle part way in the box, the whole force of the momentum 
of the lay being transferred through the protector rod, binder 
fingers, and binder to the shuttle, often breaking its sides, as it 
is pinched in its weakest part. The wooden binder will give 
suflficiently to relieve the shuttle, and we think the shuttle boxing 
is better also as there is more spring to the wood and less weight 
to be moved. 

Our shuttle and the leather facing on our right-hand, front 
box-plate are provided with grooves which come opposite the 
hole, in the side of the shuttle, from which the filling is deliv- 
ered as it weaves off. These grooves prevent the filling from 
being pinched between the shuttle and the box-plate when the 
shuttle-eye is at the outer end of the box, as is the case on the 
right-hand side of the loom. As the shuttle wears, the gi"oove 
in it will gradually become shallower and in time may entirely 
disappear if not attended to. At the same time, the pressure of 
the shuttle against the leather facing on the right-hand box-plate 



^5(^ 



will cause the groove in the leather to fill up, so that we some- 
times find that there is no passageway whatever for 

the thread. The thread will then be pinched and flattened 
out each time the shuttle enters this box, and it will frequently 
be so weakened that on the succeeding pick it will pull apart. 
This is very apt to cause mispicks as the thread remains in the 
shuttle-eye and extends in front of the filling-fork, so that the 
loom is not stopped as it should be. Sometimes the thread will 
not break but wall stick to the leather and make a fringe on the 
selvage. These troubles are easily prevented by using a round 
file to deepen the grooves in the shuttle and leather facing. 



PROTECTOR. 

The projector mechanism on the Northrop Loom does not 
differ in principle from that on other looms, so that detailed 
explanation is unnecessary. On our recent models we use a 
novel method of adjusting the binder finger, which -we think will 
appeal to fixers. Protector rods sometimes become loose through 
wear. The caps which hold them can be tightened by filing. 
The pressure of the binder fingers on the binders is regulated by a 
protector rod spring in the usual way. When we build front 
binder looms, v^e use a novelty of construction which enables 
us to still employ the ordinary //-^^ and dagger protection. 



^S1 



BRAKE. 

All looms are equipped with drakes^ but in one class of 
looms the brake is worked solely from \h& protector motion -when 
the loom bangs off, while on another class the brake also oper- 
ates every time the shipper handle is thrown off. The latter 
system is known as the '■'Filling- Brake system^'' for with the com- 
mon looms the brake is thus applied whenever the loom is 
stopped by the filling motion or fork. There is no question but 
that the application of the brake brings serious jar and strain on 
a loom. We know this positively, for we have many records 
taken of looms used with and without the filling-brake attach- 
ment, showing that looms which do not apply the brake at these 
frequent intervals, run with much less cost for repair, and much 
less loom fixing. We thought at one time the brake was also 
responsible for bi-eaking of crank shafts^ but further investigation 
proved that the more frequent reason for crank shaft breakage 

came from the strain of a tight belt, as noticed partic- 
ularly in mills where looms were driven from small pulleys 
underneath the floor, with short belts necessarily kept very tight. 

While, therefore, we have a filling-brake system, and a 
most efficient one at that, we have recently discontinued its use 
on looms weaving goods ^here the picks were so frequent that 
the stopping of the loom did not make any possibility of a crack 
or thin place. On light goods we shall continue to apply them, 
and the parts, of course, are applicable to looms which may be 
sent out without them. Our loom has less use for a brake than 
the common loom as it does not stop for filling exhaustion or 
breakage. 

Any brake, to work properly, should be carefully adjusted. 
When the brake acts by the motion of the frog it should 



158 



not bring pressure upon the wheel before the belt is shipped. 
The braking surface should be set so as to bear upon as much of 
the surface of the wheel as is possible. This can be done by 
means of the adjustment at the bottom end of the brake. The 
leather on the brake will necessarily wear more or less, requiring 
attention in order to obtain the best results. 



LOOM ADJUSTMENTS. 

Every new loom will jar screwed parts loose in the first few 
days it is run. All screws and nvits should be gone over care- 
fully, tightening them securely when loose. There are many 
theories about the proper adjustment of whip-roll, harnesses, and 
take-iip roll. If cover is desired, an extra strain should be 
brought on the lower shed by raising the whip-roll, or take-up roll, 
or both. Our high-roll looms are provided with liberal adjust- 
ment for change in vertical position. Whip-rolls are also adjust- 
able for the same purpose. 

Inweaving drills or twills, strain is frequently brought on the 
top shade by preference. When this is necessary, the whip-roll and 
take-up-roll should be practically as low as the race of the lay. 

It is, of course, necessary to adjust the shedding motion and 
timing of the- pick so that the shuttle can pass through the shed 
without too much friction. These adjustments must vary with 
the width and weight of the cloth woven, as it is obvious that 
with a wide loom more time is necessary. Looms are built 
with the crank shaft set lower than the lay crank arm pivot, in 
order to give more time for the shuttle. The use of a short 
crank arm accomplishes the same purpose, if the beainng for the 
crank arm is extended, but this construction necessitates heavier 
sword castings, and is not so desirable for that reason. 



159 



The pick should be set so that the shuttle will just begin to 
move when the lay is in the centre of its back stroke on looms as 
ordinarily constructed. 



DRAWING-IN WARP. 

Our steel harness requires no extra labor for drawing-in 
'while drop-wire warp-stops add to the cost. Large beams natu- 
rally reduce the expense. 

The Keene drawing-m frame is of great advantage for any 
of our stop-motions. 

There are interesting and ingenious automatic tying-in and 
drawing-in machines now marketed which eliminate the extra 
labor of drawing-in through drop-wires from consideration. 
They are working in many Northrop Loom mills giving excel- 
lent satisfaction. 



SIZING WARP. 

Where drop-wires are used with cotton harness, it is neces- 
sary to size the warp with additional care, taking pains to put 
the sizing into the yarn instead of on the outside, as is the cus- 
tom in a great many mills. The test of proper sizing is found 
in the amount of lint noticed, and the average warp breakage 
counted. No. 28 warp yarn should not break more than 10 to 
12 threads per day with a cotton harness stop-motion on ordinary 
goods. Slow speed at the slasher gives a larger percentage of 
size. With our steel harness, extra sizing is not necessary ; in 
fact, not advisable, as it may actually increase warp breakage. 
We recommend the following mixtvxres for our cotton harness 
drop-wire system : 



i6o 



Sizing for Sheetings : loo gallons of water, 70 lbs. 
potato starch, 4 to 5 lbs. of tallow, i gill turpentine, i gill of blue 
vitriol ; boil 20 minutes, or longer if necessary. 

Sizing for Prints: 120 gallons of water, 60 lbs. potato 
starch, 3 lbs. of tallow, 7 lbs. of Victoria zinc ; boil from 20 to 
30 minutes. 

Sizing for Medium Weight Goods: 120 gallons of 
water, 65 lbs. of potato starch, 7 lbs. of tallow, 5 lbs. of alum ; 
boil 30 ininutes. 

For steel harness simply add more water to the above mix- 
tures. Experiment will determine the proper amount for the 
conditions presented. 

Our experts have also found excellent results shown in mills 
using the following : 

Sizing for Fine Yarns: 175 lbs. potato starch, 300 gal- 
lons water, 16 lbs "Providence" sizing — cook 40 minutes. 

Sizing for Coarse Yarns : 195 lbs. corn starch, 300 gal- 
lons water, 16 lbs. "Providence" sizing — cook 40 minutes. 

Sizing por Gingham Warps: 90 lbs. potato starch, 100 
gallons water, 16 lbs. "Victoria" sizing — cook 30 minutes. 

Weight of sizing varies with color — heavy on Browns, 
Blacks, Reds and Tans; light on Blues and bleached warps. 

Size for Medium Yarns: 250 gallons water, 84 lbs. 
potato starch, 12 lbs. "gloy," S 1-2 lbs. "glycerol," 2 lbs. soft- 
ening, I 1-2 lbs. tallow. 

The softening is prepared by mixing one lb. of softening 
with 9 lbs. of warm water and cooking it. 2 lbs. of this di- 
luted mixture is put into a batch of size. 

We have no doubt there are other compounds equally good, 
but these have been called to our attention as giving special satis- 
faction, while the others may not have had equally enthusiastic 
sponsors — or their sponsors may not have cared to give away 
information that might benefit competition. 



i6i 



LOOM POWER. 

We believe that all authorities are wrong on the question of 
the amount of horse-power required for the looms built today. 
The old experts figured from tests made with light pattern 
looms, run at low speeds. Every builder puts more weight into 
liis loom today, and higher speeds are in vogue. It is possible 
that our loom requires slightly more power than the common 
loom for the same goods, as it uses a heavier shuttle, and we 
believe in a stiff, heavy lay. With our first print-cloth loom we 
had an admirable opportunity for test, as we ran a room of 80 
looms from a single engine, and could indicate the power abso- 
lutely. At 190 picks, they showed 3 3-4 looms to the horse- 
power, not counting the shafting. 



CLEANING LOOMS, 

It seems needless to emphasize the necessity of keeping any 
machine properly cleaned and properly oiled. Different mills 
have different systems in this i^espect, some insisting that the 
weaver shall clean and oil his own looms, while others have 
special cleaners and oilers. A loom should surely be cleaned 
and oiled every time a new warp is put in, and it should also be 
kept reasonably clean between such periods. We have seen 

splendid results from the use of compressed air, using 

hose and nozzle to blow dirt and lint off of the loom and out of 
the oil holes. Under proper system there is a saving in labor, 
the looms are not stopped so long for cleaning and they are better 
cleaned. The high-speeded parts of the mechanism need oiling 



i6: 



more frequentl}-, and it should be remembered that every place 
where two metal sm'faces are in rubbing contact demands oil. 

While we have never gone into the question of testing oils 
for looms, we believe that poor oil can do as much harm in the 
-weave room as in the spinning room, and we recommend follow- 
ing the advice of competent oil experts, even if their recommen- 
dation seems to involve slight increase of cost in the oil itself. 



REPAIRS. 

It is somewhat difficult to get at average figures of expense 
in this line, for new looms will need more frequent repair until 
the weavers and fixers get used to them. We can figure fairly 
well ourselves from the amount of parts sold to our customers, 
although many orders are for parts to be kept as stock on hand. 
Sometime ago we figured the average repair cost per loom per 
month at 12 1-4 cents, not including shuttles or strapping. We 
understand the repair cost of the common loom, including shut- 
tles, is about $3 per loom per year. There are many mills using 
both common and Northrop looms, which inform us that the 
repairs on their Northrop looms are actually less than on the 
common. 



PRODUCTION. 

Many mills take advantage of the capacit}' of the Northrop 
loom for running without the attention of the weaver by start- 
ing the machinery before the weaver arrives and also running 
during the noon hour and possibly sometime after the weaver has 



1 63 



left at night. In such mills the production is often over lOO per 
cent, of that possible during regular hours. The comparison 
with common looms, which produce less than 90 per cent., is 
interesting. It is quite common for Northrop looms to give 95 
to 97 per cent, of product without the gain by running over time. 
A mill should not be especially proud of this showing, however, 
for it simply proves that their weavers are not spread out over 
their proper number of looms. It may take many years to kill 
the popular fallacy that production of cloth per loom is the great 
end for attainment. Production per weaver is rather the end that 
should be aimed at. 



I,OOM SPEED. 

We have never favored high speed for looms, although the 
Northrop loom can run at high speed if necessary. Siinply as 
an experiment we have run one of our print looms at 380 picks. 
We have had looms running for weeks at a speed of 220 picks. 
There is nothing in the addition of our novel mechanism which 
limits the speed in any way. Our reason for advising low speed, 
therefoi'e, is not because our loom is handicapped, nor because 
we wish to sell more looms, as some uncharitable persons have 
asserted. Increase of speed increases the breakage of warp, 
requires more fixing and costs more for repaii's. Since the 
introduction of the Northrop loom many mills in this country 
have speeded their common looms. Perhaps they wish to wear 
them out more rapidly and thus be I'eady earlier for replacement 
by Northrop looms. We doubt if there is any other good reason 
for the change. They run looms at high speed in England, but 
simply because of the domination of the trades-unions, which 
will not allow weavers to run more than four looms. Under 



164 



such circumstances the manufacturer is bound to get all the 
product he can from each loom without caring especially whether 
he increases the number of duties necessary. 



COSTS. 

The common plain loom, as ordinarily built, is largely a 
foundry product and the cost necessarily varies with the market 
prices of raw materials. In 1894 we learned that an outside 
builder estimated that a print loom weighing 900 pounds figured 
$27 for stock, $9 for labor, $3 for painting and $11 for general 
expenses "with profit, making a total of $50. Most builders put 
more iron in their plain looms today, very possibly patterning 
after our own increase when we first commenced the building of 
looms. We invite comparison of our loom as a machine prod- 
uct with any other made, for we not only secure uniformity 
by machine molding, but we also put more tool work into the 
loom parts than any other builder we know. Our foundry cast- 
ings have a world-wide reputation and our tool equipment for 
the manufacture of looms is entirely modern. While the prices 
we charge for our product may seem high, the additional ex- 
penses of manufacture must be taken into account, as well as the 
extra mechanism which we supply. 



LOOM EQUIPMENT. 

The usual common loom, as sold to the trade, includes no 
extras in the way of parts not secured to the loom, except the 
Yearns, 1 1-2 being figured to each loom. Our Northrop loom, 
on the contrary, is furnished with one shuttle per loom, check 



i65 



stands, shuttle guard, filling fork, and one loom seat to every eight 
looms. We also fui'nish steel heddles or warp stop detectors in 
quantities as ordered and supply our own temples of whatever 
pattern desired, at regular prices. The following list specifies 
the extras which are usually purchased from supply dealers, 
although we can furnish sample lots, if required, at their prices : 
Lug straps, lease rods, jack sticks for cotton harness strapping, cotton 
harness, reeds, lease rod holders. We can supply thiti place pre- 
venters on order and also sell extra pick gears, auxiliary shaft with 
gears for 3, 4, or 5-shade work, selvage motions, etc., at extra cost. 



DOUBLE PICK CLOTH. 

In view of the many attempts at introduction of weaving 
novelties that produce cloth with two threads in a shade, we 
might call attention to the fact that such cloth is easily woven on 
our Northrop loom by winding two threads on a bobbin. With 
this system double production is assured, but the cloth is not of 
the regular trade standard. We mention this not to suggest 
adoption, but merely to prevent waste of time on experiment 
with double bobbin shuttles, needle looms, etc. 



CLOTH DEFECTS. 

Cloth as woven is usually inspected for imperfections, such 
as thick and thin places, cracks, oil stains, scratch-ups, thread runs, 
wrong draws, too many threads in a harness eye or reed dent, 
overshots, skips, kinks, loops, tmevenness, bare^iess, reediness, lack of 
weight, or narrow width. Thick and thin places are usually 



i66 



caused by imperfect action of the let-off or take-up and on the 
Northrop loom by the filling fork being out of order. Cracks 
or slight thin places are caused by the loom stopping and being 
started, especially if the weaver turns the loom over vv^hile 
mending in w^arp or placing the shuttle. Our latest take-ups 
are arranged so that they v\^ill not operate unless the shuttle is 
picked. Excessive looseness of parts in the loom may also cause 
cracks when stopping or starting. Oil stains usually result from 
carelessness. Care should be taken, for instance, in oiling the 
hopper stud on a Northrop loom not to let any excess of oil drip 
on the filling bobbins. If bobbins are allowed to drop on the 
floor they may get dirty and show streaks in the cloth. Scratch- 
ups and thread runs are practically obsolete where Northrop 
looms are used, for the v^^arp stop-motion, if kept in order, will 
prevent either one. Wrong dra-ws and extra threads should be 
detected by the weaver. Overshots are greatly reduced on our 
loom, especially with our steel harness motion. Of course, 
overshots are possible if the harnesses and pick inotion are not 
properly timed. Skips are also caused by improper adjustment 
of the harness or pick, or if the picker is not in proper position. 
Kinks result from filling not being properly conditioned and 
also from weaving goods too narrow for the width of the loom. 
Also by using a too heavy fork., or not sufficietit friction in the 
shuttle. Too much power in the pick will also cause them. 
Loops are almost always caused by the harness not shedding 
properly, especially on five-harness goods. Uneven cloth is 
usually made when the let-off or take-up is not working right, 
although uneven filling will also give the goods a similar appear- 
ance. The faults in the surface appearance of the cloth are 
determined from the standard set by the buyer, and this may 
vary so that a fault on one class of goods w^ould not be detected 
on another. Weight and width inust be kept right. We 
believe our Draper-Roper let-off will produce more even goods 



167 



than any other in the market, and our high-roll take-up principle 
will also assist in keeping the width uniform. Of course, the 
weight will vary if the take-up is not absolutely uniform 
and positive in action. Our iron take-up roll is of as- 
sistance in keeping the picks uniform. Another defect not 
always classed as a defect, is the mispick^ or lack of thread in 
a shade or double thread in a shade. With ordinary two 
harness weaving the presence or absence of threads is hardly 
apparent except on close examination. When goods are napped^ 
it is highly important that mispicks should be avoided. In 
common loom weaving the weaver is personally responsible for 
a mispick, as he can find the pick by turning the loom 
over and taking care to make a proper jointure. Some 
weavers escape mispicks on common looms by stopping the 
loom and changing the filling just before the filling weaves 
off in the shuttle. Our feeler mechanism copies this method 
by automatically changing the filling just before it is woven 
off. It has been found that the Northrop loom on three-shade 
weaving makes less mispicks than the common loona as run in 
the ordinary manner, for the usual lapse of time between the de- 
tection by the fork and the operation at the hopper brings the 
new thread into the proper shade a good part of the time. 
The usual weaving expert has more to say about cover on 
the cloth than other special feature. Cover is a quality 
appealing to the eye by evenness, and to the feel by softness. 
Evenness can be positively produced by using reeds having a 
dent for each thread and may also be apparently produced by 
weaving with the upper shed slack so that the unevenness is 
disguised. A soft feel is produced in a similar manner and can 
also be given by use of soft twisted filling. Cop filling undoubt- 
edly has advantages over bobbin filling in this respect, although 
it is possible that bobbin filling may some day be spun with 
slacker twist if desired. Slackness in shed is produced by the 



1 68 



relative positions of the take-up roll and whip roll, or by the 
angle of the lay when beating up. Heavy drop wires may take 
some of the slackness out of the top shed, but we have never 
found this objection important. Bai'e cloth is also due to the 
harness cams not being suitable. Sometimes cloth or warp is 
soiled by dirt falling through belt holes in the floor above. All 
mills should be thoroughly equipped with belt hole guards to 
prevent such difficulty. Sometimes oil from the shafting above 
the loom will drip on to the cloth or warp. Of course, as cloth 
is woven from yarn made in other departments, its defects may 
be due to conditions outside the weave room. If the filling yarn 
is poorly wound, rings of yarn will slip off, making double filling 
in the cloth. If not properly moistened it will kink. Yarn may 
be made from dirty roving or with too much twist. Of course, 
the slashing of the warp affects the weaving and the goods 
woven. All the departments of a mill should work harmoniously 
to produce the necessary result, and the management in charge 
of all departments is directly responsible for such a result. 



LOOM TESTS. 

Outside critics have sometimes referred to the tests made 
in our private weaving department as having little or no value 
for comparative purposes, because we are supposedly using bet- 
ter yarn and more perfect conditions than are attainable in 
the average weave room. We wish to correct this impression, 
by explaining that the warp and filling yarn which we use 
is not especially prepared for us in any way, but is bought in 
open market fi'om various mills, and we are confident that if the 
same yarn were made in a mill which we could control, we 
should insist on better quality and more uniformity. Our weave 



169 



room is merely a space partitioned off in our wooden setting-up 
room, and while we endeavor to secure proper atmospheric con- 
ditions, we know that we do not secure as good conditions as we 
should in a weaving room designed for that purpose alone. We 
see no reason why our records should not be bettered in the 
average mill where our looms are run. The one advantage that 
we do obtain is that of having sufficient extra men so that 
careful note may be made of every error in operation that does 
occur. 



DEAPER TABLE OF EECQMMENDED HUMIDITY 
FOR THE WEAVE ROOM. 



DRY BULB. 


"WET BULB. 


DRY BULB. 


"WET BULB. 


60 


58 


80 


75 


61 


59 


81 


76 


62 


60 


82 


63 


61 


83 


77 


64 


84 


78 


65 


62 


85 


79 


66 


63 


86 


67 


64 


87 


80 


68 


65 


88 


81 


69 
70 


66 


89 
90 


82 


71 


67 


91 


83 


72 


68 


92 


84 


73 


69 


93 


85 


74 


70 


94 


75 


71 


95 


86 


76 


72 


96 


87 


77 
78 


73 


97 
98 


88 


79 


74 


99 


89 






100 


90 



170 



SPEED EECOMMENDED FOE DEAFER LOOMS FOE MEDIUM 
WEIGHT GOODS. 



28" 


190 to 195 


60" 


128 to 132 


30" 


185 to 190 


64" 


124 to 128 


32" 


180 to 185 


68" 


120 to 124 


34" 


175 to 180 


72" 


116 to 120 


36" 


170 to 175 


76" 


112 to 116 


38" 


165 to 170 


80" 


108 to 112 


40" 


160 to 165 


84" 


104 to 108 


42" 


154 to 158 


88" 


100 to 104 


44" 


148 to 152 


92" 


96 to 100 


46" 


144 to 148 


96" 


94 to 96 


48" 


140 to 144 


100" 


90 to 94 


52" 


136 to 140 


104" 


88 to 90 


56" 


132 to 136 


108" 


86 to 88 



There is no reason why our loom cannot run at any speed 
attained by common looms of the same capacity. We never ad- 
vocate extremes in this direction. In fact, on heavy goods we 
would consider the above table too high. 



RULES AND INFORMATION FOR WEAVERS. 

To find the number of yards of cloth to the pound avoirdupois: 

Multiply its width in inches by the weight in grains of a 
piece containing i square inch ; divide 194.44 ^7 "^^ product and 
the quotient will be the number of yards to the pound. Exam- 
ple: Width of cloth, 30 inches; weight of i square inch, 1.5 
194.44 

grains. = 4.33 yards per pound. 

30X1.5 
To find the average number of yarn required to produce cloth of any 
desired weight, width, arid pick: 

Add together the number of picks per inch of warp and fill- 
ing; multiply their sum by the yards of cloth per pound, and 
this product by the width in inches ; divide by 840, and the quo- 



i7i 



tient will be the average number of yarn required. For any in- 
crease in ^veight by sizing, proportional allowance must be 
made in the yarn. 

N. B. — As the filling is taken up in crossing the warp, and 
the amount varies in different goods, this rule is not exact, but 
will approximate near enough to furnish a basis for practical 
purposes. 

Weight of a square yard of cloth when the weight of a sqtiare inch is 
given: 



Wt. of sq. in. in grains. 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


Wt. of sq. yd. in lbs. 


.1851 


.3703 


.5554 


.7406 


.9257 


1.1109 


1.2961 



To find the size of warp or filling in any piece of goods: 

Take S or more threads of any known number, say 2 feet 
long, and tie the ends together ; this makes a link, through 
which draw the same number of threads of the same length of 
the unknown number, and twist the two links thus made as you 
would twist a chain. A keen eye v^ill detect any difference in 
the size of the two links. By adding to or taking from either 
link, they can be varied in size in proportion to the number of 
threads used, and brought to nearly equal each other. When as 
nearly as possible alike, the unknown number can be approx- 
imately determined by the proportionate number of strands in 
each link. Thus, if 28 is the known number and if 7 strands of 
the unknown m^ake an equal size link of 8 strands of the known, 
the number of the unknown will be |- of 28 = 24.5. 

Cotton cloth is sold on a basis of a certain number of yards 
to the pound, with a certain niunber of picks or threads per 
inch in warp and filling. 

Standard print cloths weigh seven yards to the pound, 
have 64 picks of warp and filling to the inch, and are called 
64 X 64 — seven-yard goods . 



172 



Loom reeds are numbered by the number of dents or splits 
to the inch. 

The number of threads in a warp divided by the number of 
the reed multiplied by the width in inches will give the number 
of threads in a dent. 

Both warp and filling take up in weaving, by passing over 
and under alternate threads ; therefore, one yard of warp or fill- 
ing will fall a percentage short of making a yard of cloth. This 
percentage varies with each different size of yarn and number of 
picks per inch, and for other reasons. It may be safe to say 
that from . seven to eight per cent, is an average shrinkage on 
cotton goods. On some woolen cloths, the finishing processes 
reduce the weight so that the calculated weights are as near as 
may be to the weight of the finished goods. 

Yarn is commonly numbered before it is slashed or sized, 
and in estimating the weight of finished cloth, the quantity of 
sizing added to the warp must be known. 



CONVENIENT MULTIPLIERS. 

CIRCLES, AREAS, AND FIGURES. 

Diameter of a circle X3.1416 or ^^= the circumference. 

Circumference of a circle X0.31831 or -^ = the diameter. 

Square of diameter X 0.7854= the area of the circle. 

Square of diameter X yj- = the area of the circle. 

Square root of area X 1-^2837 ^^ ^^^^ diameter of a circle. 

Radius of circle X 6.28318 = the circumference. 

Circumference = 3.5449 X the square root of the area of 
circle. 

Diameter of a circle X 0.8862 = the side of an equal 
square. 



173 

Side of a square X i . 1 28 = the diameter of an equal cir- 
cle. 

Area of ti'iangle = the base X -j the perpendicular height. 

Square of the diameter of a sphere X 3-1416 = the convex 
surface. 

Cube of the diameter of a sphere X 0.5336 = the solidity. 

Diameter of a sphere X 0.806 = the edge of an equal cube. 

Diameter of a sphere X 0.666^ = the length of an equal 
cylinder. 

Surface of a cylinder = area of both ends -j- length X cir- 
cumference. 

Solidity of a cylinder = area of one end X the length. 

Solidity of a cone = area of the base X i the perpendicular 
height. 

Ai-ea of an ellipse = long axis X short axis X 0.7854. 

(Approximate only for circles, spheres, ellipses and cylinders.) 



CONVERSION OF ONE DENOMINATION TO 
ANOTHER. 

Feet X 0.00019 = miles. 

Yards X 0.0006 = miles. 

Square inches X 0.00694 = square feet. 

Square feet X 144 = square inches. 

Cubic feet X 0.037 = cubic yards. 

Cubic inches X 0.000579 = cubic feet. 

Cubic feet X 6.2355 = gallons. 

Gallons X 0.16059 = cubic feet. 

Gallons X 10 = lbs. of distilled water. 

Cubic feet of water X 62.425 = lbs. avoirdupois. 

Cubic inches of water X 0.03612 = lbs. avoirdupois. 



174 



Lbs. avoirdupois X i'2i53 = lbs. troy or apothecary. 
Lbs. troy or apothecary X 0.8228 = lbs. avoirdupois. 
Lbs. avoirdupois X 0.00893 = cwts. 
Lbs. avoirdupois X 0.000447 ^ tons. 
Tons of water X 224 = gallons. 



STATISTICS OF THE MANUFACTURE OF COTTON 

GOODS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 1905. 

(Not including small vv^ares.) 

Number of establishments ii077 

Capital $605,100,164 

Salaried officials and clerks 6,738 

Salaries $9,911,767 

Wage-earners 31 0,4=58 

Total w^ages $94,377,696 

Miscellaneous expenses $29,930,801 

Cost of material used $282,047,648 

Value of products $442,451,218 

Number of spindles • 23,155,613 

Number of looms 540,910 

Cotton consumed in bales • 3,743,089 

Cotton consumed in pounds 1,873,074,716 

Pounds per bale 503 

Cost of domestic cotton, 3,629,085 bales $209,972,665 

Pounds of yarn spun 1,529,483,718 



Note that in these Statistics v^^e give the year for w^hich the 
information applies. The date 1905 as in the tables quoted later 
means the year ending 1905 or, really, the year 1904. 



175 



COTTON PRODUCTS PRODUCED DURING 1904. 

Value 

Square yds. Value per yard 
Plain cloths for printing 

or converting 1,818,316,173 $80,311,611 .044-f- 
Brown or bleached sheet- 
ings and shirtings 1,172,309,183 61,253,376 .053-I- 
Ginghams 302,316,132 22,471,867 -074-1- 
Ticks, denims and stripes 256,375,486 23,797,578 .092-I- 
Drills 194,735,303 13,596,063 .0644- 
Twills and sateens 366,143,513 33,701,305 .0644- 
Cottonades 35,363,346 3,998,971 .ii8-|- 
Napped fabrics 330,808,140 26,108,315 -0784- 
Fancy woven fabrics 306,254,685 28,486,343 -0934- 
Corduroy, cotton velvet 

and plush 16,014,556 4'790'573 -299+ 

Duck 132,601,212 17,005,983 .1384- 

Bags and bagging 57,067,663 3'953»732 .069-^ 

Mosquito and other netting 36,333,918 994,9^3 .031-]- 
Upholstery goods, including 

lace and lace curtains 65,593,313 13,111,698 .1844- 



5»o70'' 


038,530 320,382,367 


Yarns for sale 


79.885,387 


Sewing cotton 


15,043,043 


Twine 


1,282,947 


Tape and webbing 


49,546 


Batting and wadding 


I' 173.343 


Waste for sale 


10,049,037 


Other products of cotton 


2,605,801 


All other products 


11,979,747 



Total $443,451,318 



176 



Total $442,451,318 

Cotton small wares, lacings, wicks, tapes, 

edgings, etc. 8,016,486 

Total, including small wares $450,467,704 

Cost of materials 286,255,303 

Value added by manufacture 164,212,401 

Wages paid $96,205,796 

Miscellaneous expenses 30,487,378 126,693,174 

Profit, depreciation, selling expense, etc. $37,519,327 

Per cent, on product value S.32 per cent. 

Per cent, on value added 

by manufacture 22.84 P^^' cent. 

Per cent, on capital ($613,110,655) 6.01 per cent. 

The average depreciation and selling expense would prac- 
tically eliminate this apparent profit. The figures given do not 
admit of proper dissection of this total. 

STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURES IN WHICH COT- 
TON YARNS WERE USED IN PART IN 1904. 

Value of Products. 
Hosiery and knit goods $136,558,139 

Wool manufactures 380,934,003 

Silk and silk goods 133,288,072 

Dyeing and finishing of textiles 50,849,545 

OTHER TEXTILES. 

Value of Products. 
Flax, hemp and jute products $62,939,329 

Cotton manufactures 450,467,704 



Total for all textiles $1,215,036,793 



177 



Total for all textiles $1,315,036,792 

Cost of materials 745,783,168 



Value added in manufacture 469,253,624 

Wages paid $249'357'277 

Miscellaneous expenses 86,110,180 335»4^7'457 

Profits, depreciation, selling expense, etc. $133,786,167 
Per cent, on product value 1 1 .01 per cent. 

Per cent, on value added by manu- 
facture 28.51 per cent. 
Percent, on capital ($1,343,324,605) 9.95 per cent. 
From Labor Bulletin of the Commonv^^ealth of Mass., No. 
48, I derive the following information : 

Value of cotton goods increase in 1905 as compared w^ith 1900: 
North Carolina $18,881,956 = 66.55 P^'" '^^^*^- S^^^ 

South Carolina 18,713,723 = 66.32 " " 

Massachusetts 18,693,122 = 16.92 " " 

Georgia 16,716,603 = 90.57 " " 

Alabama 8,607,196 = 105.57 " " 

The total value for the country was : 

1900 1905 

$339,200,320 $450,467,704 = 32.80 per cent, increase. 

In 1905 the division of value produced was as follows : 



Massachusetts 


28.68 


per cent. 


Rhode Island 


6.80 




New Hampshire 


6.56 




Pennsylvania 


5-36 




Connecticut 


4-05 




Maine 


342 




NewYork 


2.98 




New Jersey 


1.90 




Vermont 


.24 


59-99 



178 



South Carolina 


10.97 


North Carolina 


10.49 


Georgia 


7.81 


Alabama 


3-72 


All others 


7.03 



40.01 

In 1900 the proportion in the above divisions was as 67.64 
to 32.36, showing a decided increase outside the Northern States. 
The Fall River strike in 1904 naturally affects the figures more 
or less. (The years 1900 and 1905 as quoted really mean 1899 
and 1904.) 



IMPORTS OF COTTON MANUFACTURES, 1904. 

Value 
Square yds. Value per yard 

Bleached and unbleached 1,309,358 $155,695 .ii8-|- 

Printed, painted and colored 46,310,012 7,794,179 .170-I- 



47'5i9'37o 75949'S74 .168+ 

Cotton clothing, not including knit goods 2,380,658 
Embroideries, laces, lace curtains, insertions, 

trimmings, cords and gimps 35,911,684 

Knit goods 6,150,484 
Thread (not on spools) yarns, warps or 

warp yarns 2,204,154 

All other manufactures 4,333,083 



Total 48,919,936 

Re-exports of similar goods 333,917 

Net imports $48,587,019 



179 



EXPORTS OF COTTON MANUFACTURES, 1904. 

Bleached and unbleached 566,584,218 $33»9955i34 .i6o-|- 
Printed, painted and colored 127,916,497 7,325,408 •057H- 



69^,500,715 41,320,542 .059+ 
Wearing apparel 3,477,652 

All other manufactures 4,867,886 



$49,666,080 



Of the cloth exported the Chinese Empire 

took a total of $27,761,095 

Our Chinese trade is mainly in sheetings and drills, the 
trade-mark known in China as a "Chop" being of great import- 
ance. Our trade-marks are imitated by English and Japanese 
mills, making competition active. Our goods are preferred on 
account of their quality and the small percentage of size, but the 
Japanese are making a great point of the cheapness of their 
product, and using systematic attempts to take trade away from 
us. All of the cloth used for outer clothing is dyed by the 
Chinese after purchase. Cloth is used for clothes, linings, burial 
cloths, underwear, quilting lining and covei-ing of window space. 
The Chinese themselves weave large amounts of nankeen, it 
being understood that in certain parts of China the working 
population weaves all through the winter on hand looms. Chi- 
nese traders are exacting in requirements and insist on goods 
being absolutely up to sample. If the goods are inferior, the 
Chinese say that the "chop stinks" and will not use them. It is 
w^ell known that American goods have been rejected because 
their cuts were a few inches short in length. The Government 
Agent suggests that we might increase trade by poster advertis- 
ing of our trade-marks, explaining the better quality of American 
goods, etc., since the Chinese are very curious and show great 
interest in such advertising as has been done by producers of 
other wares. 



i8o 



NUMBER AND CLASSIFICATION OF COTTON LOOMS BY 
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS : 1890 TO 1905. 





Census. 


NUMBER OF LOOMS— 


DIVISION. 


Total. 


On plain cloths. 


IB^ 


Less than 

28 inches 

wide. 


28 to 32 
inches 
wide. 


32 to 36 

inches 

wide 

inclusive. 


More than 

36 inches 

wide. 


"Unite'S.'States .... 


1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 


540,910 
450,682 
324,866 


31,901 
35,601 
23,648 


115,966 
98,995 
91,862 


94,649 
79,349 
55,356 


160,231 

126,082 

71,591 


New England states 
Middle states 


324,058 

298,885 
250,116 

31,748 
36,134 
35,074 

179,752 

110,010 

36,266 

5,352 
5,653 
3,410 


11,228 
16,765 
12,609 

5,722 
6,442 
5,196 

14,519 

12,374 

5,803 

432 
20 
40 


81,742 
77,326 

72,928 

1,002 

3,023 

10,601 

33,167 

17,930 

8,309 

55 

716 

24 


40,343 
37,722 
35,063 

2,568 
3,501 
3,628 

48,779 
34,446 
13,956 

2,959 
3,680 
2,709 


89,978 
84,916 
62,508 

9,186 


Southern states 

Western states 


8,035 
5,708 

59,730 
32,323 

2,875 

1,337 




808 
500 



(Remember that the above dates are for the years ending in 1890, 
1900 and 1905.) 



"The numerical increase of looms is 90,228. Between 1890 
and 1900 the increase was 135,816. The rate has therefore been 
much larger in the last five years than in the preceding decade. 
By geographic divisions the increase from 1900 to 1905 'was 
25,173 in New England and 69,742 in the South. There was 
a decrease of 4,386 in the Middle states and of 301 in the West- 
ern states. The classification of looms sho^vs that the increase 
is, as usual, largest in the case of those making plain goods of 
standard w^idth. There is a decrease in the number weaving 



I«I 



narrow goods — those less than 28 inches in width — although 
there is a small increase in southern looms of that character. 
The largest increase of all is in the number weaving sheetings 
more than 36 inches in w^idth. About 9,000 more than in 1900 
are employed upon twills and sateens and 16,500 more are mak- 
ing fancy weaves. It is interesting to note the large increase of 
looms making such goods in southern mills. In 1890 only 1,975 
looms were reported in those mills ; in 1900 the number had not 
quite doubled, being 3,856; but at present no less than 10,695 
are reported, an increase of nearly 7,000 within the last five 
•years, and the total is about one-sixth of the number for the 
whole country. The cotton manufacturing of Pennsylvania is 
chiefly weaving. In the w^hole country there are 43 spindles to 
one loom, but in Pennsylvania there are only 19 spindles to a 
loom. The present report shows a falling off of 1,732 looms in 
that state, or very nearly 11 per cent." 





Census. 


NUMBER OF LOOMS— 


' 


On twills, 
including 
sateens. 


On fancy 
weaves. 


On tapes 

and other 

narrow 

goods. 


On bags 

and other 

special 

fabrics. 


United States. 


1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 

1905 
1900 
1890 


68,038 
58,839 
53,726 


62,214 
45,686 
23,233 


1,439 
1,709 

(2) 


6 472 




4,421 
5,450 


New England States 


55,093 
47,080 
46,346 

1,915 
3,403 
4,930 

11,030 
8,356 
2,442 


41,443 
31,635 
18,900 

10,007 
10,031 

2,358 

10,695 
3,856 
1,975 

G9 
164 


711 
1,586 


3,520 
1,855 
1,762 


Middle States 


64 
123 


1,284 




1,576 
2,653 


Southern States 


270 


1,562 




725 






906 


Western States 


394 


106 






265 




8 




129 











2 Included with bags and other special fabrics in 1890. 



l82 



The following statement shows the number of active estab- 
lishments in the several geographic divisions of the country : 



DIVISION. 


1905 


1900 


1890(1) 


1880(1) 


United States 


1,077 


973 


905 


756 






New England states 


308 

204 

550 

15 


332 

225 

400 

16 


402 
239 
239 

25 


439 


Middle states 


139 


Southern states ,. .. 

Western states 


161 

17 



1 Includes cotton small wares. 



The foregoing statement is not to be taken as an indication 
that there has been a decline in the industry in all sections save 
the South. The large decrease in the number of establishments 
in New England and the Middle states in 1900 as compared 
with 1890 was due largely to the elimination from the general 
cotton schedules at the Twelfth Census, of establishments then 
and now classified as "cotton small wai"es." During the last 
five years there has been a moderate consolidation of establish- 
ments, which reduces the apparent number without involving the 
disappearance or disuse of any important mills. When the sta- 
tistics of machinery and of products are exhibited, it will appear 
that the industry has grown in New England by the enlargement 
of existing establishments. In the South, in addition to the en- 
largement of the capacity of many mills, there has been a very 
great actual increase in the number of independent establish- 
ments, which have been located in new regions as well as in the 
neighborhoods where the industry had already been introduced. 
This fact is shown by a camparison of the nvmiber of active 
establishments in the several states of the South at the enumer- 
ations beginning Vt^ith 1880. / 



iS3 

NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS IN SOUTHERN 
STATES: 1880 TO 1905. 



STATE. 



Total 



Virginia 

North Carolina. 
South Carolina . 

Georgia 

Alabama 

Mississippi 

Louisiana 

Texas 

Arkansas 

Tennessee 

Kentucky 



1905 


1900 


1890(1) 


188(Ki) 


550 


(2)400 


239 


(3)161 


10 


7 


9 


8 


212 


177 


91 


49 


127 


80 


34 


14 


103 


67 


53 


40 


46 


31 


13 


16 


14 


6 


9 


8 


3 


2 


2 


2 


13 


4 


1 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


16 


17 


20 


16 


4 


6 


5 


3 



1 Includes cotton small wares. 

2 Includes West Virginia, 1 establishment. 

3 Includes Florida, 1 establishment. 

These figures are presented with a caution against drawing 
from them too broad inferences. Establishments may be large 
or small. The statistics, even when nothing is shown but an 
enumeration of mills, do indicate a spread of the industry, and 
success is commonly followed by enlargement of capacity. — Bul- 
letin No. 14 of Censtis Bureau,. 



This table of print cloth statistics on the next page is made 
up for standard cloth 64 threads to the inch, 38 inches wide, and 
made usually of No. 28 warp and No. 36 filling yarn. As now 
presented it differs somewhat in data and arrangement from for- 
mer tables. The waste is now figured as net waste and the 
fifteen per cent, is fifteen per cent, of the cotton bought. 



1 84 



PKESTT-CLOTH STATISTICS. 















Probable 










Average 






Cost per 


Margin 




Highest 


Lowest 


Prire. 


Price 


Average 


Lb. of 


Between 




Price of 


Price of 


(Not 


per Lb. 


Price of 


Cotton 


Cotton 


Year. 


Print 


Print 


Average 


in Cents 


Middling 


Used 


and 




Cloth 


Cloth 


of High 


at 7 yds. 


Uplands 


in Cents, 


Cloth 




in Cents. 


in Cents. 


and 


per Lb. 


per Lb. 


with 15 


in Cents 








Low.) 




in Cents. 


per cent. 
Waste. 


per Lb 


1860 


5% 


4% 


5.44 


38.08 


11. 


12.94 


25.14 


1861 


9 


4>i 


5.33 


37.31 


13.01 


15.31 


22. 


1863 


14K 


7 


9.81 


68.67 


31.29 


86.81 


31.86 


1863 


19 


9. 


15.20 


106.40 


67.21 


79.07 


27.33 


1864 


38K 

27i| 
19j| 


23.43 


163.94 


101.50 


119.41 


44.53 


1865 


10 


20.24 


141.68 


83.38 


98.09 


43.59 


1866 


11^ 


14.13 


98.91 


43.20 


50.82 


48.09 


1867 


13 


9.12 


63.84 


31.59 


37.16 


26.68 


1868 


9% 


&^ 


8.18 


57.26 


24.85 


29.24 


28.02 


1869 


n 


7>l 


8.30 


58.10 


29.01 


34.18 


28.97 


1870 


6M 


7.14 


49.98 


23.98 


28.21 


21.77 


1871 


8 


63^ 


7.41 


51.87 


16.95 


19.94 


31.93 


1872 


9 


5M 


7.88 


55.16 


22.19 


26.11 


29.05 


1873 


7^ 


6.69 


46.83 


20.14 


23.69 


23.14 


1874 


5.57 


38.99 


17.95 


21.11 


17.88 


1875 


e4 

4% 


5.33 


37.31 


15.46 


18.19 


19.13 


1876 


4.10 


28.70 


12.98 


15.27 


18.43 


1877 


5^ 


3/8 


4.38 


30.66 


11.82 


13.90 


16.76 


1878 


4 


^/8 


3.44 


24.08 


11.23 


13.20 


10.88 


1879 


iM 


3i 

3M 
3% 
3.I4 


3.93 


27.51 


10.84 


12.75 


14.76 


1880 


5.87 


4.51 


31.57 


11.51 


13.54 


18.03 


1881 




3.95 


27.65 


12.03 


14.15 


13.50 


1882 


3.76 


26.32 


11.56 


13.60 


12.73 


1883 


311 


3.60 


25.20 


11.88 


13.98 


11.23 


1884 


3.62 


3.08 


3.36 


23.52 


10.88 


12.80 


10.72 


1885 


314 
3p 


2.98 


3.12 


21.84 


10.45 


13.29 


9.55 


1886 


35^ 


3.81 


23.17 


9.28 


10.91 


12.26 


1887 


3^ 
3k 


3.33 


23.31 


10.21 


12.01 


11.30 


1888 


4^ 


3.81 


26.67 


10.03 


11.80 


14.87 


1889 


4tV 


3.81 


26.67 


10.65 


12.52 


14.15 


1890 


3t% 


3 


3.34 


23.38 


11.07 


13.02 


10.86 


1891 


3tV 


2?^ 


2.95 


20.65 


8.60 


10.11 


10.54 


1892 


4^ 


3/s 

ill 


3.39 


23.73 


7.71 


9.07 


14.66 


1893 


4 


3.30 


23.10 


8.56 


10.07 


18.03 


1894 


3 


2.75 


19.25 


6.94 


8.16 


11.09 


1895 


3ts 


2t'5 


2.86 


20.02 


7.44 


8.75 


11.27 


1896 


3 


2/5 


2.60 


18.20 


7.93 


9.38 


8.87 


1897 


2ii 


214 


2.48 


17.36 


7. 


8.24 


9.13 


1898 


2t\ 


2.06 


14.42 


5.94 


6.99 


7.43 


1899 


31^ 


2% 


2.69 


18.83 


6.88 


8.09 


10.74 


1900 


§1 


2?^ 
2% 


3.21 


22.47 


9.25 


10.88 


11.59 


1901 


2.84 


19.88 


8.75 


10.29 


9.59 


1902 


3% 


3 


3.11 


21.77 


9. 


10.59 


11.18 


1903 


3% 


3 


3.25 


22.75 


11.18 


13.15 


9.60 


1904 


4 


3 


3.44 


24.08 


11.75 


13.82 


10.26 


1905 
190(5 
1907 


3% 


2M 


3.12 


21.84 


9.80 


11.53 


10.31 
















1908 
















1909 
















1910 

















i85 



"How the introduction of this new loom affects the cost of labor 
may be shown by a comparison of two accounts of the cost of labor in 
print cloth, one taken by myself from a mill account of older date, but 
from one of the best mills in New England, and the other from the 
workings of recent date, received from a mill but a few days ago. 

COST OF LABOR IN ONE POUND OF PRINT CLOTH. 

(28 inches, 64x64, seven yards to the pound.) 



ITEMS. 



Carding 

Spinning 

Preparing for loom 

Weaving 

Other labor expenses 

Total labor cost 

Diff"erence on account of improved loom 
All other differences 



1887. 
Cents. 



0.855 

1.137 

0.697 

2.8 

0.239 



5.728 



1898. 
Cents. 



Diff"erences. 
1898. 
Cents. 



0.7 
1.1 
0.7 
1.6 
0.25 



4.35 



0.155 
0.037 

—0.003 
1.2 

—0.011 



1.378 
1.2 



0.178 



The items covering all other manufacturing processes are scarcely 
worth noticing. The difference is almost entirely traceable to the new 
loom , 

Now, by no possibility can the strain which the North could be 
subjected to by the South, be so great as the strain the Northern mill 
has to sustain from Northern mill, and the Southern mill from Southern 
mill ; for the same causes may be found in operation in the South that 
produce the differences in the North. The differences of this pro- 
nounced type are created by the introduction of the so-called "auto- 
matic" loom. When, by this change, 50 per cent, in the weaving-cost 
can be saved, it is obvious that it will not take long to convince mill- 
owners that it is profitable to discard the loom which was satisfactory 
until very recently, and to adopt the new loom by which an expert 
weaver can turn out from two to three times as much cloth in a week." 
— [Jacob SchoenhoJ. 



One of the cloths made here very largely in the 40-inch looms is 32 
inches wide and has 68 ends and 112 picks to the inch of 42's twist 
and 36's weft. It is woven in 62 yard cuts, and the price paid to the 
weavers is 27 1-4 cents per cut for the Northrop loom and 56 cents per 
cut for the ordinary loom. The latter is, I believe, 10 per cent, less 
than the rate paid in Lancashire, but the ordinary eight loom weaver 
here can earn $9 a week and the weaver who runs twenty Northrop 
looms $10.50 to |ill. — [Gorre^ondent of Manchester Guardian. 



1 86 



"In a Noi-thern mill, not far away, a Northrop Loom weaver ap- 
plied for permission to attend a funeral of some departed relative. The 
ovei'seer naturally disliked to stop product but remembering the capa- 
bilities of automatic weaving told him to leave the looms running and 
hurry back. Twenty-four Northrops were banging away as he washed 
up and twenty-two were still going when he returned nearly an hour 
later. We shall approach a situation where the women weavers will 
bring in their knitting in order to keep busy and the men take physical 
culture exercises to keep their appetites in order." — \_Cotton Chats, 
April, "05. 



We sometimes have to meet the assertion that possible profits in 
Northrop loom weaving are reduced by reason of the higher cost of re- 
pair. We emphatically decline to accept any such conclusion. With 
equal skill in loom fixing there should be no more cost; in fact, records 
show there is often less cost. 

We quote the following from one of our expert's reports on a 
Northrop loom mill : 

"In the year 1904 the mill ran 2.52 1-2 days of 10 hours each. 

"On 800 looms they gave out 261 new shuttles." 

Another report on another mill had the following : 

"Their cost of supplies for the four weeks ended January 7th, was 

$83.25 for 1292 (North]-op) looms; while on the 1174 looms for 

the same period, the cost of supplies was $301.71." 

"In an expert's report for December, we note that an overseer run- 
ning 172 Northrop looms reports his cost of supplies for an entire year 
as less than $i0. This same mill was getting 98 per cent, production 
and paying one-half the price for weaving cuts that they paid on com- 
mon looms in the same mill. The supplies were much less per loom on 
the Northrop loom than on the common. 

"Another mill, visited the same week, reported that the repairs for 
the Northrop loom cost less than one-half what they cost on the com- 
mon looms in the same mill. 

"In a third mill, they had four weavers running 150 looms, with 
four battery boys at 40 cents a day each." — [Cottoji Chats, Feb. '06. 



"I found a most illogical argument being used against the Northrop 
loom, it being suggested that when a Northrop loom weaver left the 
mill for any jDurpose, it would stop 24 looms, whereas a common loom 
weaver absent meant only the stopping of 8 looms. Of course, it is 
easily shown that in a common loom mill there would be three times as 
many weavers, who would certainly average the same number of days 
out per individual as the weavers in a Northrop mill ; that is, they would 
average to have three weavers out in a common loom mill, as against one 
weaver in the Northrop loom mill, for the same causes." — [Cotton Chats, 
Dec, '06. 



i87 



"As to weaving cost, there were many mills doing much better than 
our claim of halving the price per cut. The price paid in Southern mills 
for regular print cloth, standard length cuts, varies from 6 cents to 8 
cents, according to locality., In one mill, the prices were 19 1-2 cents 
per cut on common loom grades, 9 cents on Northrop, for one line of 
goods, and 16 1-2 cents on common looms against 7 cents on North- 
rop, on another style. In another mill the price of weaving for the 
Northrop looms, counting in section hands and extra help of all kinds, 
was less than 50 per cent, of the common loom cost on the same goods. 
Several mills claimed less cost for repairs for Northrop looms as against 
common looms ; in fact, one mill is considering replacing common looms 
Avhich have only run three years, because they find less cost for both 
weaving and I'epairs and less seconds on their Northrop looms." — 
lCuUo7i Chats, Dec, "06. 




"•During the scarce-help period many methods 
were employed to entice workers to suffering sec- 
tions. Some of the methods were hardly legitimate, 
altruistic or ethical, but the 'button' advertisement 
shown in the Illustration was clever and convincing. 
Merrimack weaving did run well — it runs well all the 
time. The two great rooms of Northrop looms are as 
good an advertisement as their builders could wish 
for."— [OoWort Chats, March, '07. 



"The first 100 looms are running very nicely, and they have reduced 
their weaving price of 30 cents, which they were paying on common 
looms, to 11 cents." — [Expert's report of Aug. 17, 1907. 



We all know how clearly imperfections in cloth are shown 
by running it over a blackboard. We print photographs of cloth 
with a black paper background \vhich seem to show up very 
well. These goods are made on Northrop looms with Dobby 
heads in a Southern cotton mill. 



189 




190 



THE LABOR QUESTION. 

The introduction of labor-saving machinery is usually at- 
tended by decided opposition from the help, since some fear to 
lose their jobs through the very lessening in labor for which the 
machine is pi-eferred. The direct and open antagonism to the 
Northrop loom has been surprisingly small, all things considered. 
There have been a few small strikes to determine the exact I'ate 
of pay ; but these differences have been promptly settled, and 
Northrop loom weavers, as a class, undoubtedly earn higher 
wages than similar weavers on common looms. The indirect 
antagonism is far more sei'ious in certain sections. Whether 
existing, or merely feared, it does delay the inevitable change in 
mills where the help are stronger through their organization 
than the management in charge. If a general, indefinable atti- 
tude of opposition, does succeed in delaying improvement, it not 
not only prevents the mill from profiting, but it also prevents 

the weavers from earning tlie better wages tliat 
they might obtain. 

The average common loom weaver might think that an 
additional number of looms must increase the work to be done, 
but such is not necessarily the case. A weaver can take more 
steps in going from loom to loom with eight looms to look 
after, each requiring a visit every few minutes, than in 
tending three times as many looms, if each one only needs 

a visit at mucli longer intervals. The fact that 

weavers do run large numbers of Northrop looms, and like 
to run them rather than go back to fewer common looms is 
sufficient answer of itself. 

All weavers should certainly credit us with the relief from 
sucking filling, for while hand-threaded shuttles are now used to 



some extent on common looms, their use was not so general be- 
fore we forced the issue by selling a self -threading shuttle. The 
sucking of filling is damaging to the lungs, especially when the 
filling is colored. Cominon loom weavers are short-lived as a 
rule, their lungs becoming packed with cotton fibre. Weavers 
have caught consumption and worse diseases by sucking shuttles 
formerly used by diseased weavers. 

When we first brought the Northrop loom to the attention of 
the trade, it was feared that introduction would throw one-half 
the then present weavers out of their jobs ; but after many years 
of successful, and comparatively rapid introduction, there are 

today more common loom weavers working' than 
there were when the Northrop loom was ready for 

the market. The Northrop loom has built up a new lot of 

mills, the looms being run largely by new operatives. The old 
weavers have not been displaced ; their jobs have not been 
taken away. We hope that they will all be running Northrop 
looms at sonae future time ; and by that time there should be 
Northrop looms enough in use to give them all employment. It 
is somewhat curious to note that labor troubles apparently be- 
come more prevalent as conditions really get better. We had 
cotton factories for fifty years before there was one strike re- 
corded. During that early history the mills were badly lighted 
and badly ventilated. The ceilings were low, the machinery 
most inefficient, the work much harder ; and yet the help had to 
work some fourteen hours a day for miserable wages. Today, 
our cotton mills offer opportunities in short hours and higher 
wages that should prove most attractive compared with other 
channels of employment open to the same grade of labor. The 
modern cotton mill is better adapted for the health and comfort 
of the operative than the majority of manufacturing establish- 
ments. Unlike many employers, the cotton mill invariably pays 
its help on time. The help know precisely what they are to re- 



[92 



ceive. The strikes of recent times are almost uniformly based 
on the single question of wages, the rate usually varying with the 
relative difference, or margin, between price of cotton and 
price of goods marketed. 

It is a great mistake for the laborers, as a class, to consent to 
any measures Tvhich tend to diminish that margin. If 

working for their own best interests, they would w^elcome the 
introduction of labor saving machinery, which enlarges the prof- 
it to the mill, and thereby enlarges the possible fund from which 
higher wages can be paid. It is not exceptions which determine 
rules, but rather the great average of results. It can be shown 
conclusively that progress through labor-saving devices does 
increase wages, even though the wage earners themselves are 
not required to use a higher grade of skill, or a greater ex- 
penditure of energy. 



It would be folly to attempt a defense of the progress made in the 
world by the introduction of labor saving machinery. No defense is 
needed. We will frankly admit that our energies are continually bent 
on producing machines that will release labor. Experience shows that 
the labor thus relieved is absorbed by the increase of new mills, this in- 
crease being stimulated by the very economies made by the labor saving- 
machinery, as such machinery makes profits and attracts capital to du- 
plicate the results. — ICoUon Chats. 



WAGES IN EUROPEAN TEXTILE MILLS. 

According to a report issued from Manchester by the International 
Federation of Textile Workers, the weekly wages of English operatives 
are : Weavers, f 4.86 ; spinners, $9.72 ; card-room workers, males, $7.29, 
and females, $5.35; beamers, $7.29; bleachers, males, $8.76, and females, 
$4.37; and loom-fixers, $10.20. In Holland the wages per week are 
given as follows : Spinners, $4.86 to $7.08 ; card-room workers, $3.12 
to $4.37, and weavers, $2.40 to $4.05. In Denmai-k the average rates are : 



193 



Spinners, $4.86, and weavers, $3.89 to $4.37. Weavers in Flanders run- 
ning four looms earn from $2.04 to $2.88. In Silesia men weavers make 
$2.28 and women $1.68 a week. Referring to upper Franconia, the 
report states that "the manner of living of the textile workers corre- 
sponds to their low wages — plain, scanty, and often insufficient food. 
Their principal nourishment consists of coffee and bread, herrings and 
potatoes ; meat rarely appears on their table." — IDaihj Trade and Con- 
sular Beport, Maij 29, '07. 



The following table shows the fluctuation in weavers' wages 
at Fall River during the past twenty-three years : 

Per cut 



Feb. 
Jan. 
Mar. 

Feb. 

Dec. 
Sept. 

Aug. 

Apr. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Dec. 

Mar. 

Nov. 

July 

Oct. 

July 

Nov. 
May 



4 
19 

I 

13 
II 

II 
30 

23 

I 

27 

II 

17 

23 

25 
30 

2, 
26 

27, 



884. 

885.. 

886. 
888. 
892.. 
892.. 



.18.50 
.16.50 
.18.15 
.19.00 
.19.60 
.21.00 



893 18.00 

894 16.00 

895 18.00 

898 16.00 

899 18.00 

899 19.80 

902 21.78 

903 19.80 

904 17-32 

905 *i8.6i 

906 19.80 

906 21.78 

907 23.96 



* Average under sliding scale. 



[94 



The surprising development of American ingenuity, which 
has placed us far ahead of any other inventive nation, is pri- 
marily due to the protection afforded by our American patent 
system. There are those who consider patents monopolistic 
and tyrannical, causing much of nuisance to the public at large. 
They think that without the joatent system we should have as 
many improvements and make greater progress, since all could 
use the improvements without pay. We know by our own ex- 
perience that even if inventors were to develop ideas without 
profit — a most improbable theory — the public would by no 
means promptly grasp their advantages, but rather decline to 
consider them at all, in view of the change in habit necessar}'. 
People must be forced by persuasion and without the chance for 
profit there is no incentive to stir the possible persuader. There 
are valuable ideas in the line of cotton machinery improve- 
ments, which are not introduced, since the controlling patents 
have expired, or because their own patents were imperfect. No 
one will take the trouble to introduce them since they merely 
educate a competitor who can copy without the expense of de- 
signing and testing. So long as business is done on a business 
basis, it will be done with a careful reckoning of costs and im- 
provements must be proved of value by those who can be as- 
sured of a share in the value. A patent is merely a policeman 
protecting the rights of ownership ; and while some may ques- 
tion the rights of individuals as to possession of 23roperty which 
they did not create, there is no logic that can justly deprive one 
of a primary right to the creations of his own brain. — \_Address 
on '•'•Patents and Inventions " Philadelphia, May i§, '07. 



195 



SALES. 

Having controlled the majority of sales for new looms on 
plain goods for over twelve years, we may now assume that the 
Northrop loom is certainly well established as an important trade 
factor. There are mills which still purchase common looms, 
and there are men who still deny that the automatic loom is 
suitable for their purposes, and their conditions. When these 
objections are analyzed, however, we find them not condemna- 
tory of the loom itself, but rather of the situations under which 
the objectors find themselves. We may deprecate the existence 
of the conditions, but it is not our business to interfere with 
them. We can better utilize our time in introducing the loom 

where conditions are more suitable. We are per- 
fectly frank in stating that it is not our aim in business to 
monopolize the entire trade at any cost, but rather to keep our 
plant running on fairly remunerative contracts, supplying ma- 
chinery to those who want it because they know what it will do, 
or because they have faith in our advice. 

On the mere strength of reputation, we could have easily 
sold thousands of looms in advance of the proof of their 
accomplishment, but we did not care to risk that reputation. 
We not only ran a fully equipped weave room for months before 
allowing a purchase of one loom, but we became large stock- 
holders in new mills that first tested the inventions, perfectly 
willing to take our share of the loss, if loss should ensue. 

The mills that did entrust us with large preliminary orders 
certainly had no reason to continue patronage, if the looms were 
unsatisfactory. Notwithstanding the necessarily immature type 
of device first sent out, the purchasers not only found them sat- 
isfactory, but expressed their further confidence by a continuous 



196 



entry of repeat orders. If our business were analyzed, it would 
show that the great majority of our sales is made to those mills 
which have either tested early lots of looms, or been organized 
or controlled by men having full experience with the actual run- 
nine of the looms. 



LIST OF NORTHROP LOOMS SOLD IN 
UNITED STATES TO JULY i, 1907. 

Where looms have changed ownership they are credited to 
present possessors. Figures in black letters signify increases 
since our list of 1905. Mills in black letter signify new custom- 
ers since 1905. 

NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Abbeville Cotton Mills Abbeville, S. C 940 

Acushnet Mill Corp New Bedford, Mass 417 

AdamsMfg. Co. North Scituate, R. I.... 24 

AikenMfg. Co Bath, S. C 38 

American Linen Company Fall River, Mass. 100 

American Textile Company Cartersville, Ga. 803 

American Spinning Company.... Greenville, S. C. 758 

Amory Mfg. Company Manchester, N. H, 688 

AmoskeagMfg. Co Manchester, N. H 1381 

Anderson Cotton Mills Anderson, S. C 724 

Androscoggin Mills Lewiston, Maine 413 

Appleton Company Lowell, Mass 633 

Aragon Cotton Mills Rock Hill, S. C. 280 

Aragon Mills Aragon, Ga. 170 

Arcadia Mills Spartanburg, S. C 344 

Arlington Mills Lawrence, Mass. . 240 

Asheville Cotton Mills Asheville, N. C 30 



197 



NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Ashland Company Ashland, R. 1 31 

Atlantic Cotton Mills Lawrence, Mass 433 

Atlas Linen Company Meredith, N. H. 35 

Attawaugan Mills Killingly, Conn. 48 

Augusta Factory Augusta, Ga 105 

Aurora Cotton Mills Aurora, 111 96 

Avondale Mills Birmingham, Ala. 512 

L. Bachmann & Co. Uxbridge, Mass. 66 

Barber-Coleman Co. Boston, Mass. 1 

Barker Cotton Mills Company.. Mobile, Ala 325 

Barker Mills Auburn, Maine 16 

Bates Mfg. Company Lewiston, Maine 334 

Beaumont Mfg. Company Spartanburg, S. C 252 

Belton Mills Belton, S. C 1349 

Bennett Spinning Company New Bedford, Mass i 

Berkeley Company Berkeley, R. 1 256 

Blackstone Mfg. Company Blackstone, Mass. 1184 

Boott Mills Lowell, Mass 1178 

Borden Mfg. Co., Richard Fall River, Mass. 853 

Boston Mfg. Co. Waltham, Mass. 156 

Botany Worsted Mills Passaic, N. J 14 

BostonDuckCo. Bondsville, Mass. 103 

Bourne Mills Fall River, Mass 3060 

Bradford Durfee Textile School Fall River, Mass 5 

Brandon Mills Greenville, S. C. 992 

Bristol Mfg. Corp New Bedford, Mass... i 

Brogon Cotton Mills Anderson, S. C 366 

Brookside Mills Knoxville, Tenn. 650 

Brookfqrd Mills Brookford, N. C 163 

Brower & Love Bros. Indianapolis, Ind 2 

Burgess Mills Pawtucket, R. I. 1394 



[98 



NAME. 

Cabarrus Cotton Mills 

Cabot Mfg. Co 

Calhovm Mills 

Calvine Mfg^. Co. 

Cannon Mfg. Co 

Capital City Mills 

Carolina Mills 

Chadwick Mfg. Co 

Cherokee Falls Mfg. Co. 

Chewalla Cotton Mills 

Chicopee Mfg. Company 

Chicora Cotton Mills _..., 

China Mfg. Company 

Chiquola Mfg. Company 

Clemson College 

Clifton Mfg. Company 

Cocheco Mfg. Co 

Columbia Mfg. Co. 

Columbian Mfg. Co 

Columbus Mfg. Co 

Consolidated Duck Co. 

Continental Mills 

Converse Co., D. E 

Cooleemee Cotton Mills 

Cordis Mills 

Coventry Company 

Cowpens Mfg. Co. 

Crompton Company 

Crown Cotton Mills 

Dallas Mfg. Company 



PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Concord, N.C 542 

Brunswick, Maine 204 

Calhoun Falls, S.C. 400 

Charlotte, N. C. 300 

Concord, N. C. 426 

Columbia, S. C 240 

Greenville, S. C. 356 

Charlotte, N. C. 300 

Cherokee Falls, 

S. C. 1 

Eufaula, Ala 40 

Chicopee Falls, Mass... 1 26 

Rock Hill, S. C... I 

Suncook, N. H. 89 

Honea Path, S. C 1000 

Calhoun Station, S. C. 2 

Clifton, S. C. 1000 

Dover, N. H 1139 

Ramseur, N.C. 69 

Greenville, N. H 172 

Columbus, Ga. 800 

Baltimore, Md 190 

Lewiston, Maine 373 

Glendale, S. C. 550 

Cooleemee, N. C 1296 

Millbury, Mass. 144 

Providence, R. 1 2 

Cowpens, S. C. 142 

Crompton, R. I. 2 

Dalton, Ga. 1 

Huntsville, Ala 1211 



199 



NAME. PLACE. QLTANTITY. 

Dan Kiver Cotton Mills Danville, Va. 304 

Darlington Mfg. Co. Dai'lington, S. C..., 593 

Drayton Mills Spartanburg^, S.C. 503 

Dunbarton Flax Spinning Co... Greenwich, N. Y. i 

Durham Cotton Mfg. Co West Durham, N. C... 300 

D wight Mfg. Co Chicopee, Mass. 681 

D wight M%. Co. Alabama City, 

Ala. 300 

Eagle & Phenix Mills Columbus, Ga 328 

Eagle Mills Woonsocket, R. 1 8 

Easley Cotton Mills Easley, S. C 1020 

Eastman Cotton Mills Eastman, Ga 150 

Edwards Mfg. Company Augusta, Maine 809 

Emery, Jere Putnam, Conn. 35 

Erwin Cotton Mills West Durham, N. C... 1901 

Eufaula Cotton Mills Eufaula, Ala. 32 

Everett Mills Lawrence, Mass 1338 

Excelsior Mills Farnumsville, 

Mass. 100 

Exeter Mfg. Company Exeter, N. H 106 

Exposition Cotton Mills Atlanta, Ga. 350 

Fairfield Cotton Mills Winnsboro, S. C. 190 

Falls Company Norwich, Conn 61 

Farnum & Co., John Lancaster, Pa. 12 

Farwell Mills Lisbon, Maine 132 

Firth, William Boston, Mass i 

Florence Mills Forest City, N. C 200 

Fulton Bag & Cotton Mills Atlanta, Ga 1591 

Gaffney Mfg. Co Gaffney, S.C 1563 

Gainesville Cotton Mills Gainesville, Ga 1076 



200 



NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Gary & Sons, James S. Baltimore, Md. 88 

Georgia School of Technology Atlanta, Ga 6 

Gibson Mfg. Company Concord, N. C 6 

Glenn-Lowry Mfg. Co Whitmire, S. C. 998 

Glen Raven Cotton Mills Burlington, N. C loo 

Glenwood Cotton Mills Easley, S. C 116 

Gosnold Mill Corp New Bedford, Mass Boo 

Granby Cotton Mills , Columbia, S. C. 1014 

Granite Linen Co. Wortendyke,^. J. 34 

Graniteville Mfg. Co Vaucluse, S. C 362 

Graniteville Mfg. Co. Graniteville, S. C 592 

Great Falls Mfg. Co Somersworth, N. H 638 

Great Falls Mfg. Co Rockingham, N. C 172 

Grendel Mills Greenwood, S. C 748 

Grinnell Mfg. Corp. New Bedford, Mass..... 341 

Grosvenor-Dale Company North Grosvenor-Dale, 

Conn. 3617 

Hamilton Mfg. Co Lowell, Mass 373 

Hamlet Textile Company Woonsocket, R. 1 56 

Harmony Grove Mills Harmony Grove, Ga... 396 

Hartsville Cotton Mills Hartsville, S. C 680 

Hathaway Mfg. Co. New Bedford, Mass.... 401 

Henderson Cotton Mills Henderson, N. C. 84 

Henrietta Mills Henrietta, N. C. 351 

Hill Mfg. Co. Lewiston, Maine 142 

Home Cotton Mills St. Louis, Mo 180 

Hope Co., Phenix Mill Hope, R. 1 800 

Hoskins Mills Charlotte, N. C 580 

Indian Head Mills of Alabama Cordova, Ala. 416 

Jackson Company Nashua, N. H. 533 



20I 



N^ME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Jackson Mills Iva, S. C. 640 

Jackson Fibre Co Jackson, Tenn 1580 

Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, N. J. 436 

Jonesville Mfg. Co. Jonesville, S. C. 240 

Kansas City Cotton Mills Kansas City, Mo. 160 

Keasbey & Mattison Co Ambler, Pa 6 

KeslerMfg. Co SaHsbury, N. C 306 

King Mfg. Co., John P Augusta, Ga 1600 

King Phillip Mills Fall River, Mass 28 

B. B. & R. Knight, 

(Centreville Mill) Centrevllle, R. I. 616 

Lancaster Mills. Clinton, Mass 418 

Lane-Maginnis Corp New Orleans, La 714 

Lanett Cotton Mills West Point, Ga 992 

Laurens Cotton Mills Laurens, S. C 562 

Lawrence Duck Company Lawrence, Mass 38 

Limestone Mills Gaffney, S. C 640 

Lockhart Mills Lockhart, S. C 1604 

Lockwood Company Waterville, Maine 1427 

Lonsdale Company..... Lonsdale, R. I. 2107 

Loray Mills Gastonia, N. C 1690 

Lorraine Mfg. Co Saylesville, R. 1 3 

Louise Mills Charlotte, N. C 562 

Lowell Textile School Lowell, Mass 3 

Lynchburg Cotton Mills Lynchburg, Va i 

Manchester Mills Manchester, N. H 681 

Manville Co. (Social Mill) Woonsocket, R. 1 597 

Massachusetts Cotton Mills Lowell, Mass 556 

Massachusetts Mills in Georgia Lindale, Ga. 2340 



NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY, 

Mass. Institute of Technology.. Boston, Mass. i 

May's Landing W. Power Co. May's Landing, N. J... 3 

Mecklenburg Mfg. Co. Charlotte, N. C. 200 

Meridian Cotton Mills Meridian, Miss 148 

Merrimack Mfg. Company Lowell, Mass 530 

Merrimack Mfg. Company Huntsville, Ala 1718 

Methuen Company Methuen, Mass. 136 

Mills Mfg. Company , Greenville, S. C 560 

Millville Mfg. Company Millville, N. J 313 

Mississippi Agr'l College Agr'l College, Miss.' 2 

Mississippi Mills Wesson, Miss. 49 

Mollohon Mfg. Co. Newberry, S. C. 352 

Monaghan Mills Greenville, S. C. 1262 

Monarch Cotton Mills Union, S. C 1000 

Nantucket Mills.... Spray, N. C 32 

Nashua Mfg. Company Nashua, N. H. 374 

Naumkeag Steam Cotton Co... Salem, Mass. 538 

Neuse River Mills Raleigh, N. C 150 

New Bedford Textile School... New Bedford, Mass. 2 

Newmarket Mfg. Co. Newmarket, N. H 371 

New York Mills New York Mills, N. Y. 171 

Nightingale Mills.: Putnam, Conn. 14 

Ninety Six Cotton Mills Ninety Six, S. C 510 

Nockege Mills Fitchburg, Mass 13 

Nokomis Cotton Mills Lexington, N. C 356 

No. Andover Silk Mills No. Andover, Mass 2 
N. C. Col. of Agr'l. & Mech. 

Arts West Raleigh, N. C 3 

Odell Mfg. Company Concord, N. C 40 

Olympia Cotton Mills Columbia, S. C 2250 



203 



NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Orangeburg Mfg. Co Orangeburg, S. C 393 

Orr Cotton Mills Anderson, S. C 1504 

Ossipee Cotton Mills Elon College, N. C 168 

Otis Company Ware, Mass. 2 

Pacific Mills Lawrence, Mass. 2187 

Pacolet Mfg. Co Pacolet, S. C 1164 

Pacolet Mfg. Co Gainesville, Ga. 1764 

Palmer Mills Three Rivers, Mass 113 

Palmetto Cotton Mills Palmetto, Ga 80 

Parkhill Mfg. Co Fitchburg, Mass 13 

Park Woolen Mills Rossville, Ga. 10 

Patterson, S. F Ilchester, Md i 

Peabody Mills Newburyport, Mass. 16 

Pell City Mfg. Co Pell City, Ala 720 

PelzerMfg. Co. Pelzer, S. C 2682 

Pemberton Company Lawrence, Mass. 51 

Pepperell Mfg. Co Biddeford, Maine 3814 

Philadelphia Textile School Philadelphia, Pa. 2 

Pickens Mills Pickens, S. C. 433 

Piedmont Mfg. Co Piedmont, S. C 1533 

Pocasset Mfg. Co Fall River, Mass 222 

Poe Mfg. Co., F. W Greenville, S. C 764 

Portland Silk Co Middletown, Conn i 

Potomska Mills Corp New Bedford, Mass 2 

Putnam Mfg. Co. Putnam, Conn. 252 

Queen City Cotton Co. Burlington, Vt. 1370 

Quidnick Mfg. Co Quidnick, R. 1 17 

Quinebaug Company Danielson, Conn 206 

Reedy River Mfg. Co Greenville, S. C 153 



204 



PLACE. 



QUANTITY. 



Revolution Cotton Mills Greensboro, N. C. 830 

Rhode Island School of Design Providence, R. I. i 

Riverside Cotton Mills Danville, Va 101 

Roanoke Mills Company Roanoke Rapids, N. C. 260 

Rosemary Mfg. Co Roanoke Rapids, N. C. 417 

Royal Bag & Yarn Mfg. Co Charleston, S. C 94 

Royal Cotton Mills Wake Forest, N. C i86 



Salisbury Cotton Mills. 

Salmon Falls Mfg. Co. 

Salt's Textile Mfg. Co 

Samoset Company 

Saxon Mills..... 

Scottdale Mills 

Shetucket Company 

Slater Cotton Co 

Slater & Sons, S. 

Spalding Cotton Mills . 

Spartan Mills 

Steele's Mills , 

Stevens Mfg. Co... 

Stirling Silk Mfg. Co 

Stonewall Cotton Mills 

Strickland Cotton Mills 

Susquehanna Silk Mills 

Swift Mfe. Co 



Salisbury, N.C. 310 

Salmon Falls, N. H i 

Bridgeport, Conn. i8 

Valley Falls, R. 1 8o 

Spartanburg, S. C... 

Atlanta, Ga 

Norwich, Conn 

Pawtucket, R. I 

Webster, Mass 

Griffin, Ga. 



445 

350 
70 
16 

251 

Spartanburg, S. C. 3590 

Rockingham, N. C 

Fall River, Mass 

Stirling, N. J 

Stonewall, Miss.. . 

Valdosta, Ga. 

Sunbury, Pa. 

Columbus, Ga. 



600 
I 
2 
1 

20 
2 
I 



200 

2 



Tarboro Cotton Factory Tarboro, N. C 

Texas Textile School College Station, Texas 

Thistle Mill Co Ilchester, Md 4 

Thomaston Cotton Mills Thomaston, Ga. 100 

Thompson & Co., Jas. Valley Falls, N. Y 12 



205 



NAME. . PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Thorndike Company Thorndike, Mass 363 

Totokett Mills Co. Norwich, Conn. 318 

Toxaway Mills Anderson, S. C 484 

Tremont & Suffolk Mills Lowell, Mass 1976 

TrionMfg. Co. Trion Factory, Ga 951 

Tucapau Mills Tucapau, S. C 1669 



United States Bunting Co Lowell, Mass 

United States Cotton Co Central Falls, R. I 

Uncasville Mfg. Co. Versailles, Conn. 

Utica Cotton Co Capron, N. Y 

Utica Steam & Mohawk Valley 

Cotton Mills Utica, N. Y 



2 

1600 

30 



383 



Vermont Mills Bessemer City, N. C... 96 

Victor Mfg. Co Greers, S. C 1438 

Victory Mfg. Co. Fayetteville, N. C. 400 



Wachusett Mills 

Walhalla Cotton Mills 

Wamsutta Mills 

Ware Shoals Mfg. Co. 

Warren Cotton Mills 

Warren Mfg. Co 

Waterhead Mills 

White & Sons, N. D 



Worcester, Mass. i 

Walhalla, S. C 120 

New Bedford, Mass. 200 

Ware Shoals, S. C. 1400 



West Warren, Mass.. 



White & Sons, N. D 

Whitman Mills 

Whitney Mfg. Co 

Whittenton Mfg. Co 

WiUiamson, Jas. N. & W. H. 



65 



Warrenville, S. C 1000 

Lowell, Mass. 6 

Winchendon Springs, 

Mass. 31 

East Jaffrey, N. H 1 

New Bedford, Mass 842 

Whitney, S. C 653 

Taunton, Mass. i 

Raleigh, N. C 150 



2o6 



NAME, PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Williamstown Mfg. Co... Williamstown, 

Mass.. 2 

Wilmington Cotton Mills Wilmington, N. C 60 

Woodruff Cotton Mills Woodruff, S. C 810 

Woodside Cotton Mills Greenville, S. C. 300 

York Mfg. Co Saco, Maine 1375 



133^124 



ORDERS RECEIVED BEFORE JULY i, 

BUT NOT ENTERED ON OUR SHOP 

RECORDS. 

Fulton Bag & Cotton Mills Atlanta, Ga 21 

Aragon Cotton Mills Rock Hill, S. C. 280 

Columbus Public School Columbus, Ga. 1 

Laurens Cotton Mills Laurens, S. C 660 

Excelsior Mills Farnumsville, 

Mass. 100 

Indian Head Mills of Ala Cordova, Ala 284 

Richard Borden Mfg. Co Fall River, Mass 142 

KincaidMfg. Co. Griffin, Ga, 100 

Dan River Cotton Mills Danville, Va. 112 
Joseph Bancroft & Sons 

Co. Wilmington, Del. 15 

Avondale Mills Birmingham, Ala. 598 

Patterson Mfg. Co. Kannapolis, N. C. 400 

Mass. Cotton Mills Lovi^ell, Mass .' 400 



207 



NAME. PLACE. QUANTITY. 

Rosemary Mfg. Co Roanoke Rapids, N.C. 320 

Pacific Mills Lawrence, Mass. 1 

Kansas City Cotton Mills Kansas City, Mo. 76 

Atlantic Cotton Mills Lawrence, Mass 114 

Colnmlbia Cotton Mills Columbia, Tenn. 103 

PelzerMfg. Co Pelzer, S. C 194 

MollohonMfg. Co Newberry, S. C 64 

Lonsdale Co. Lonsdale, R. 1 18 

J. E. Smith Cotton Co. Thompson, Ga. 38 

Keasbey & Mattison Ambler, Pa 4 

Stonewall Cotton Mills Stonewall, Miss. 33 

Louise Mills Charlotte, N. C 3 



3.974 



LIST OF ATTACHMENTS APPLIBD TO 
OTHER MAKES OF LOOMS TO 
JULY I, igor. 

Warp 

Killing- Stop- 
NAME. PLACE. Changer. Motion. 

Aiken Mfg. Co Bath, S. C i i 

Amoskeag Mfg. Co Manchester, N. H. 14,175 

Androscoggin Mills Lewiston, Me. 68 68 

Appleton Co. Lowell, Mass. 47 

Arlington Mills Lawrence, Mass. i 19 

Atlantic Cotton Mills Lawrence, Mass. 9 2 

Atlantic Mills Providence, R. I i 



2o8 



AVarp 
Filling- Stop- 

NAME. PLACE. Changer. Motion. 

Bates Mfg. Co. Lewiston, Me 26 

Boston Mfg. Co, Waltham, Mass. 300 

Botany Worsted Mills Passaic, N. J 53 

CawthonCottonMills Co. Selma, Ala. 16 16 

Chatham Mfg. Co. Elkin, N. C. 38 

China Mfg. Co. Suncook, N. H. 14 14 

Continental Mills Lewiston, Maine i i 

Consolidated Duck Co Baltimore, Md i 

Cokiiiibia Mills Lewiston, Me. 18 

Dallas Mfg. Co Huntsville, Ala. 2 2 

Davol Mills Fall River, Mass 82 82 

Eagle & Phenix Mills Columbus, Ga loi 

Earnscliffe Worsted 

Mills Providence, R. I. 1 

Everett Mills Lawrence, Mass 773 

Exposition Cotton Mills Atlanta, Ga i i 

Fulton Bag&CottonMills Atlanta, Ga 502 502 

Grerman American 

C o . Spray, N. C. 300 

Gibson Mfg. Co Concord, N. C 100 

Gosnold Mills Corp New Bedford, Mass 813 

Granite Linen Co.- Wortendyke, IS". J. 2 

Grinnell Mfg. Corp New Bedford, Mass 2 

Hargraves Mills Fall River, Mass 45 21 

Hathaway Mfg. Co New Bedford, Mass 432 

King Philip Mills Fall River, Mass 142 6 



209 



NAME. PLACE. 

Lancaster Mills Clinton, Mass 

Lockwood Co. Waterville, Maine. 

LoiTaine Mfg. Co Pawtucket, R. I... 

Lowell Textile Co. Lowell, Mass. . 



Filling 
Changer. 


Warp 
Stop- 
Motion. 




2387 


22 


38 




2 


1 






556 




43 




409 


6 


6 




I 


98 


98 


I 


I 



Manville Co Manville, R. I 

Manville Co., Globe Mill Woonsocket, R. I.. 

Manville Co., Social Mill Woonsocket, R. I... 

Mass. Mills in Georgia.... Lindale, Georgia... 

Mechanics Mills Fall River, Mass.. 

Merrimack Mfg. Co Lowell, Mass. 

Methuen Co. Methuen, Mass. 

Mayflower Worsted North Adams, 

Mills Mass. 24 

Nashua Mfg. Co. Nashua, ,N. H. 2 

Naumkeag Steam Cotton 

Co Salem, Mass. i i 

New York Mills New York Mills, N. Y. i 

Otis Company Ware, Mass. 6 

Pacific Mills Lawrence, Mass 4: 

Parker Mills Warren, R.I i 

Parkhill Mfg. Co. Fitchburg, Mass 28 

Pemberton Co. Lawrence, Mass. 60 

Poe Mfg. Co., F. W Greenville, S. C 13 13 

Rhode Island Co Spray, N. C, 63 

Riverside Cotton 

Mills Danville, Va. 1 1 

Roanoke Mills Co.. Roanoke Rapids, 

N. C. 4: 



2IO 



Warp 
Filliny Stop- 
NAME. PLACE. ' Chiuiscr. Motion. 



Salt's Textile Mfg. Co... Bridgeport, Conn... 

Shetucket Company Norwich, Conn 

Stevens Mfg. Co Fall River, Mass... 

Susquehanna Silk Mills.. Sunbury, Pa 

Samoset Co Valley Falls, R. I. 



Tecumseh Mills Fall River, Mass 

Thistle Mills Ilcliester, Md. 

Win. Tiiikljam Co. Harris ville, K. I. 

Trainer&SonsMfg.Co.,D. Trainer, Pa 

Trcmont & Suffolk Mills Lowell, Mass 

Tremoiit Worsted 

Co. Metliiieii, Mass. 

Utica Steam & Mohawk 

Valley Cotton Mills Utica, N. Y 



Wassokcag: Woolen 

Co. Dexter, Maine... 

Webster Mfg. Co. Suncook, N. H 

West Boylston Mfg. Co. Easthampton, Mass. 

Whittenton Mfg. Co Taunton, Mass 



York Mfg. Co Saco, Maine. 



ALSO 



I II 




7 




I 


I 


I 


I 


8 




1 






I 


8 


304 



1 




I 


I 




2 


4 


16 


I 


69 



1^73421,399 



Complete looms, not on list, shipped to foreign countries or 

agents, etc i ,987 

Extra Filling-Changers 117 

Extra Warp Stop-Motions 4 



!II 



TOTALS. 

Coinpleto NorMirop Looiiih sold to <l;ite, i;51),()85 
NiiinlMvi- «>[• Filliiij'-Cliaiij'cvrs :i|>|>lic(l, 1 ,85 I 

Niiiiibt^r of War|» Stop-Motions applicMl, ^1,40:5 
Plain Fioonis made at or or<Ior<Ml from 

llopedale Works, f^,/>00 

The looms changed over inckulu looms made by our licen- 
sees in the United States and furnished to mills also in the 
United States. 

These flfrnres do not include the many thousand looms 
made imder license in Canada, England, France, Germany, 
Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. 

A few of the (igures differ from former statements, inas- 
much as cancellations and exchanges occur more or less. This 
list is correct at the time of compilation. 



LOOM SALES BY STATES 

Including looms only sold or cvjuipped with complete lillint 
changer, with c()m})arison of sales published in 1905 : 



NoKTIIIiKN StA TICS. 

Massachusetts 



Maine n 7,839 5,000 



Rhode Island 



Connecticut 



Nuinber 

Mills in 

1907 


Silica 

to 

Julv Ist 

liiOT 


59 


20,840 


1 I 


7,839 


t8 


7^5^7 


15 


6,389 


12 


4,550 


I 


1,37" 


6 


792 



Siilcs 

to 

July Ist 

IDOr) 



16,875 



5,592 



New Hampshire 15 6,389 5,155 

4,508 



Vermont i 1,370 1,392 

New Jersey 6 792 719 



212 



NoRTHKRN States. 


Number 

Mills in 

1907 


Sales 

to 

July 1st 

1907 


Sales 

to 

July 1st 

1905 


New York 


5 


467 


100 


Illinois 


I 


96 


96 


Pennsylvania 


4 


26 


65 


Delaware 


I 


15 




Indiana 


I 


2 


2 




134 


49^903 


39,504 


Southern States. 








South Carolina 


63 


48^344 


37,064 


North Carolina 


39 


14,247 


11,244 


Georgia 


27 


14,141 


12,392 


Alabama 


9 


6,156 


3,930 


Tennessee 


3 


2,332 


2,242 


Louisiana 


I 


714 


714 


Virginia 


3 


518 


2 


Maryland 


3 


93 


8 


Mississippi 


4 


232 


199 


Missouri 


2 


^16 


78 


Texas 


I 


2 


2 




^55 


87,195 


67,875 


Total, 


289 


137,098 


,107,379 



Where sales for 1905 are larger than in 1907 it signifies 
oi"ders cancelled or delayed, or possible change in present own- 
ership of looms sold. An increase in two years of 29,719 looms 
is significant — and to us quite satisfactory. 



213 



The Northrop loom has won recognition outside of the United 
States in spite of the difficulties of foreign introduction. The 
British Northrop Loom Company Limited has been established 
to handle a certain division of Foreign trade. The Societe 
Alsacienne de Constructions Mechaniques, of Mulhouse, Ger- 
many, and Belfort, France, build continuously at both of their 
establishments. The Ateliers de Construction Ruti, of Ruti, 
Switzerland, are manufacturing on various foreign orders for 
Switzerland, Italy, etc., and the Osterreichische Textil- 
werke A. G. of Vienna manufacture for Austria and Hun- 
gary. 

We have sent looms from our own works to Canada, Eng- 
land, Mexico, Holland, Russia, Japan and elsewhere. 



"The United States Investor for Nov. 3, 1906, printed lists of Cotton 
Mill stocks wliich were selling- above par. In the Northern Mill list 
there were thirty-nine quoted. Five of these were not weaving mills. 
Fifteen of the thirty-four averaged 1000 Northrop looms each. 

"In the Southern list there were forty mills, four of which were not 
weaving mills. There were thirty having Northrop looms and these 
thirty averaged over 1100 Northrop looms each. 

"If these facts do not prove that our looms either help mills to profit 
or are appreciated by those who make profits we ai-e strangely lacking 
inlogic.''~[Cotton Chats, Dec, '06. 



"Law's Reference Book of Southern Cotton Mill Stocks," issued 
June 19th, 1907, gives a list of mills selected as representing those in 
whose stocks investors are mostly interested. It is quite evident that 
such a list naturally represents the salable, rather than the unsalable 
Southern mill stocks. The information pertaining to the mills is not 
always absolutely correct, as the author could not know of the latest in- 
stallation of machinery. With such changes as we may make from our 
own knowledge of the situation, we find that there are 86 mills quoted 
m all. 35 of these are completely equipped with Northrop looms, 23 are 
partly equipped ; in fact, they would average over half their equipment 
m Northrop looms— and 6 of them are yarn mills, leaving but 22 weav- 
ing mills which have no Northrop looms at all. This is a very sio-nifi- 
cant showing, in view of the fact that in spite of our success in the 
South, a majority of the mills there do not use Northrop looms. The 



214 



selected list, therefore, shows 80 weaving mills, particularly chosen be- 
cause of their interest to investors, of which 12% per cent, are either 
wholly, or partially equipped with our loom. The little book gives, in 
several instances, the dividends paid for the last four years. Taking the 
mills partially, or wholly equipped with Northrop looms, we find that 
18 of them have paid not less than 6 per cent, for any one of the four 
years, 13 of them have paid not less tlian 8 per cent, for any one of 
the four years, and 6 of them have paid not less than 10 per cent, for 
any one of the four years. Many of these mills have also built large 
additions out of their surplus, and others have a large surplus with 
which to pay extra dividends, or build additions. 

These facts conclusively prove that the Southern Northrop loom 
mills average greater success than those without Northrop looms. It 
proves that Northrop loom mills can, and do, pay handsome dividends. 
We believe that had this book wider information concerning the stocks 
in question, we could amplify these figures, and reflect still more credit 
on Northrop loom equipment. — \_Colton Chats, July, '07. 



Mills with the Northrop loom can and do show profits at the avei- 
age rate of prices over long periods. One of our earliest customers, a 
print cloth mill, started with 320 Northrop looms. It has since in- 
creased to a total of 1759, and $200 per share is now bid for its stock, 
with none offered, for sale. It has paid continuous and satisfac- 
tory dividends while building additions out of its profits. It has re- 
duced its capitalization so that it now stands at about $2.50 per spindle 
when quick assets are considered. If any other print mill not using our 
looms can show an equal record for the same period we should certainly 
be glad to know of it. — [Cotton Ghats, Sept., '07. 



When we first marketed the Northrop loom the price per cut for 
weaving print cloth on common looms was 16 cents in Northern mills 
and 12 cents in the South. Even on this basis the first purchasers found 
them sufliciently profitable to soon place large repeat orders. If we 
were correct in assuming a saving of half the cost it was possible to 
make a profit of some 8 cents a cut, not counting deductions for depre- 
ciation, etc. On the same basis it is now possible to make a profit of 
nearly 12 cents per cut, a 50 per cent, increase. Of course we recog- 
nize that at the j^resent prices mills with common looms can make very 
satisfactory profits. We have to go back to 1880 to find print cloth 
selling as high as now, and it is possible that the yearly average will be 
higher than any known since 1875. Tlie mills must remember, how- 
ever, that in the natural course of events such prices will not continue 
nor such pi-ofits be permanent. The earnings at the present 
prices should be devoted, in part, to equipping- the mills to 
make a profit when prices change. — \_Cotton Chats, Sept., '07. 



215 

In Cotton Chats for February, 1904, the writer made a com- 
parison of Southern cotton mill stock quotations, which is 
reprinted in this book on pages 53-54, showing 28 mills with- 
out Northrop looms averaging a value of $102 a share, taking 
the price asked, where possible, the price bid being added 
in only where there was no asking price. The 37 inills having 
Northrop looms, averaged on the same basis, $114 per share. 

Making a similar calculation from a stock list issued late in 
August of this year, it was found that 5^ Northrop loom mills 
averaged over $126 a share, 32 common loom mills averaging 
but $98 a share. No mill was considered a Northrop loom mill 
unless it had 200 Northrop looms or more, while 7 of the 32 
common looni mills had smaller numbers of Northrop looms for 
mere trial purposes. As the same names appear quite uniformly 
on these quoted lists, it is apparently evident that the common 
loom mills have averaged a loss in value in the last three years 
and a half, while the Northrop loom mills have gained sur- 
prisingly. Only 2 of the common loom mills had a price of $150 
bid or asked, and only 2 more $125 bid or asked; whereas, the 
Northrop loom mills showed 2 mills with price bid or asked of 
$200 or more, 8 more mills with price of $150, or more, bid or 
asked, and 18 more mills with price of $125, or more, bid or 
asked. 

These statistics are matter of record. We did not write the 
figures, or influence them in any way. Anyone can make a 
similar reckoning ; taking pains of course, to eliminate the yarn 
mills; also Gingham mills, and Duck mills, since the Northrop 
loom does not enter into their equipment, appreciably as yet. 
Some of the higher priced common loom mills are already con- 
sidering purchase of Northrop looms in large quantity. 

It is interesting to note that the very highest priced stocks 
are almost uniformly those of mills having larger numbers of 
Northrop loom equipment. Take notice also, that there are 



2l6 



some 55 Northrop loom mills having stock quotations, against 
33 common loom mills thus quoted, although the number of com- 
mon loom mills in the South is considerably larger than that of 
Northrop loom mills. This shoAvs that the purchasers of stocks 
are more eager to buy Northrop loom mill stocks ; and it also 
shows, by inference, that were the stocks of the absent mills 
quoted at fair value, we would find the difference in average 
price of the two classes to be even greater than that now noted. 



This volume is intended to contain all the general informa- 
tion necessary regarding our looms, including all the informa- 
tion previously published in other catalogues or circulars that is 
pertinent. We are sometimes asked by overseers or second- 
hands, to send them books containing numbers and description 
of our various loom parts in detail. We have such printed lists 
and are glad to furnish them to the mills which purchase our 
looms, but they are too expensive in character to be generally 
distributed. Any overseer, or other operative can probably have 
access to this list in the mill office, if necessary. 

As soon as this present second edition is exhausted, we shall 
probably follow with another in which any newer devices will 
be exploited. Any further information regarding looms, or any 
of our other products, will be cheerfully furnished on applica- 
tion. 

DRAPER COMPANY, 

November i, igoy. Hopedale, Mass. 



217 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Miscellaneous — Frontispiece, title, preface, etc. 1-5 

Our Location 6-7 

Draper Exhibit at Philadelphia 8 

Concerning Draper Company 9 

Former literature on the Northrop Loom 10-16 

Spinners and Weavers of America ^7'^3 

The Art of Weaving 34-31 

History of the Northrop Loom 32-39 

The Northrop Innovations 40-48 

Prices and Profits 49"59 

Attempts at Competition 60-64 

Loom Models 65-73 

Hoppers 73-75 

Double Fork and Feeler Combinations 76-78 

Bobbins 79-^0 

Shuttles 81 

Cop Skewers 83 

Thread Cutting Temples 83 

Lacey Top Rig 84 

Warp Stop-Motions 85-88 

Cut Motion 88-89 

Let-off Motions ; 90-92 

Common Loom 93 

Loom Construction 94 

Milling Loom Frames 95~9^ 

Bolton Loom Seat 97 

Keene Drawing-in Frame 98 

Sullivan Shuttle Guard 99 

Durkin Thin Place Preventer 100 



2l8 



Specification 1 01-107 

Southern Supply Office 108 

Method of Filling Hoppers 109-110 

Arrangement of Looms iio-iii 

Weavers' Seat 1 1 2 

Instructions for Running Northrop Looms 1 13-172 

Convenient Multipliei's 172-174 

Statistics 174-184 

Quotations 185-187 

Photographs of Cloth 188-189 

The Labor Question 190-193 

Quotation 1 94 

Sales 195-213 

Stock Quotations 213-216 

Table of Contents 217-218 

Index 219-222 

Memoranda 223-224 



219 



INDEX. 

Art of Weaving 24-31 

Bobbins 39, 60, 64, 79-80, 102-103, 122-124, 141 

Brake - 72, 157-158 

Breakage of Filling 121-122 

Bunches in Cloth 1 24-125 

Bunches on Feeler Bobbins 104, 143-144 

Census Reports - 174-183 

Center Forks 5^ 

Changing over Looms 28, 93 

Child Labor 57 

Cloth Defects ..-. 58, 165-168 

Cloth Inspection 5^ 

Common Looms 28, 31, 42-43, 93 

Cloth, samples of 188-189 

Competition 37, 60-64 

Cop Looms 59, 64, 82, 122, 125-126 

Cop Skewers 82, 102-103, 125-126 

Cost of Weaving ., H'^S' 27, 47, 53, 185, 187 

Cotton Mill Products ., 175^ 180-181 

Cut Motion 40, 68, 88-89, io3 

Depreciation 54"5^ 

Dobby : - 58-59' 65, 70 

Double Fork 68, 76-78, 104, 150-151 

Double Pick Cloth 165 

Draper Company 2, 6-7, 9, 27 

Draw^ing-in Frame 98, 159 

Drop Wires 42, 85-88, 131-135, 168 

Feeler, (or Mispick Preventer) 37, 42, 59, 68, 76-78, 115-1x6, 

125, 140-146, 167 



Feeler Thread-Cutter l^'ll^ i^S-ii^? 144-^46 

Filling Fork 31, 76-78, 113, 120, 150-151 

Floats (overshots) 43"44? 165-166 

Foreign Loom introduction 36-39? 113? 213 

Hand Loom 21, 24-26, 29-30, 44 

Harness Cams 137 

Heddles 42, 85-86, 104-105, 126-131 

History 17-39 

Hopper 38, 40-43, 52, 73-75, 109-110, 1 1 3-1 16 

Humidity tables 169 

Instructions for Running Northrop Looms 1 13-172 

Inventions 9, 25, 27-31, 33-35, 37-38 

Jacquards '>S-59 

Knots in Warp 136 

Labor Question 39, 190-193 

Labor on Plain Loom 31, 42-44, 46 

Labor on Northrop Looms 15, 43, 46-48 

Lay 151-152 

Let-off 32, 90-92, 103, 146-147, 166-167 

Literature on Northrop Loom 10-16 

Litigation 33, 38, 63-64 

Location of Works 7 

Long Bobbin Experiments 60, 64 

Loom Adjustments 158-159 

Loom Arrangement iio-iii 

Loom Cleaning 161-162 

Loom Construction 94"96 

Loom Cost 54, 57, 164 

Loom Dimensions loi 

Loom Earnings 47, 55, 190 

Loom Equipment 164-165 

Loom Licenses 36-37? 39, 213 

Loom Models 32, 50, 65-73 



221 



Loom Power i6i 

Loom Seats 68, 97, 106 

Loom Specifications 103-107 

Loom Repairs 109, 162 

Loom Speed 31, 163-164, 170 

Loom Tests 36, 168-169 

Loom Pi'ices 49'5^ 

Loom Profits 62 

Loom Supplies 108, 164-165 

Loom Temples 27, 31, 83, 106, 118, 138-140 

Misthread Stop-motions 120 

Misthreading 119-121, 142 

Multipliers 172-174 

Northrop Loom Products 5S-595 187-189 

Number of Looms per Weaver iS"^^' 46-48 

Patents 38, 51, 60-64, 194 

Patent Infringement 38, 60-64 

Patent Investigation 35"37 

Percentage of Production 46-48,58, 163 

Philadelphia Exhibit 8, 16 

Plan of Works 6 

Prices Paid for Weaving 15, 46-47, 51, 92 

Product per Operative 30-31 ? 44^ 46-48, 162-163 

Profits by use of Northrop Loom 14, 49-56 

Protector 118, 156 

Reed 106-107, 118, 153-154 

Repairs 162, 186-187 

Replacement of Common Looms 45 

Rules for Weavers 170-172 

Sales of Northrop Looms 36, 45, 48, 195-213 

Seconds 5^-59 

Selvage 138 

Shedding Motion 66, 68, 71, 84-85, 105, 137, 158 



Shortage of Help 57 

Shuttles 40, 8r, 107, 11 7-1 22, 142-143 

Shuttle Boxes (including binders) 119, 11^4-156 

Shuttle Changers 16, 30, 33-35, 37-38, 60-61, 64 

Shuttle Guard , 99 

Shuttle Position Detector (or shuttle feeler) 114-116, 120, 143 

Sizing Warp 1 59- 1 60 

Slack threads 134-135 

Specifications 102-107 

Spinners and Weavers of America 17-23 

Statistics 174-184 

Stock Valuation 53-545 213-216 

Take-up 32, 50, 84, 89, loi, 103, 107, 147-151 

Temple Thread-cutter 83, 138-140 

Thin-place Preventer 100, 104 

Warp Beams 147 

Warp Breakage 118, 135-136 

Warp Sizing 1 59- 1 60 

Warp Stop-motion 32, 38-40, 42-44, 60-61, 66, 85-88, 104-105, 

126-135 

Weavers' Seat 112 

Weavers' Earnings 15, 46-47, 92, 109, 185, 187, 190-194 



223 

MEMORANDA. 



224 

MEMORANDA. 



^^ 25 \Bm 



